In a significant move towards ensuring tranquility during the upcoming midterm elections, candidates in Pahamuddin town, located within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) Special Geographic Area (SGA), have vowed to maintain peace and credibility throughout the electoral process. This commitment was made evident during a candidates’ forum held on February 5, 2025, at the Datu Daud Rahman High School gymnasium in Barangay Libungan Torreta.
The forum, facilitated by the Army’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID), was not just a platform for political discourse but also included symbolic gestures of unity such as a peace covenant signing and a unity walk. Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, the commander of 6ID, emphasized the forum’s goal to promote a peaceful political environment and safeguard the integrity of the elections.
Key figures at the event, including mayoral candidates Yasser Ebrahim and Nimo Sinarimbo, and vice mayoral hopefuls Ibrahim Rahman and Esmael Talusan, publicly pledged to eschew violence during the campaign period, on election day, and post-election. In a joint radio interview, the mayoral candidates expressed their readiness to accept the election outcomes, highlighting their close familial ties as a foundation for peace.
Pahamuddin, one of the eight newly formed municipalities in the SGA-BARMM, is part of a broader effort to stabilize the region. The 6ID plans to continue its engagement with local candidates to foster a peaceful electoral atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections-BARMM has flagged over 100 municipalities as areas of concern for the May 12 elections, with 32 labeled as ‘hotspots’ due to fierce political rivalries.