With the general elections just a month away, bomb explosions rocked Basilan yesterday morning. As of last night, the death toll stood at 15, with at least 13 civilians wounded. The military said five of the fatalities were in a van laden with explosives that were apparently set off prematurely near a stadium in the capital Isabela. The van passengers had ignored a joint Marine and police checkpoint and were being chased by the troops when the vehicle exploded, killing three of the passengers. Two others were shot dead as they jumped out of the van but other suspects managed to escape.
About 30 minutes later, another bomb exploded behind the Sta. Isabel Cathedral in the city, damaging the church and nearby buildings. A third bomb was recovered in front of the house of a judge. The likely culprits are Abu Sayyaf bandits, authorities said. Since February, government forces have captured several key members of the group and continue to hunt down the militants.
Apart from the human toll, a major concern following the attacks is the conduct of the elections in Basilan on May 10. Even if voters in the province refuse to stay away from polling precincts on election day, violence and chaos can open opportunities for poll fraud. The cheating can affect even the outcome of national races.
Another fear is that the violence can lead to another declaration of martial law by President Arroyo. The Supreme Court has sat on petitions seeking to invalidate the President’s proclamation of martial law in Maguindanao, under the pretext of a brewing rebellion, following the massacre of 57 people on Nov. 23 last year. In the absence of a ruling on the petitions, nothing can stop the President from again placing any part of the country under martial law. With lives and the electoral process at stake, authorities must exert all effort to quickly stabilize the security situation in Basilan and the other conflict areas of Mindanao.