MARANTAO, Lanao del Sur — Undeterred by early morning election violence in Cotabato City, Maranao leader Samira Gutoc traveled from Manila to Marantao to fulfill what she called a “holy obligation” to vote in the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Monday.
“First is a revived trauma because after a few spoonfuls of food, after our 5 a.m. prayer time, a shooting incident occurred in Cotabato City,” Gutoc told the Inquirer after casting her ballot here in mixed Filipino and English.
Expressing deep sorrow over the incident in Barangay Bagua, Cotabato City, she offered her sympathies to the victims.
READ: 4 wounded in shooting incident inside Cotabato City polling center
A former assemblywoman at the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Gutoc, now working at the Senate, emphasized that participating in the elections is an “amana” or sacred trust.
She pointed out the importance of voting to elect a righteous amir — a leader capable of guiding the community’s governance.
She also highlighted Lanao del Sur’s crucial role in the Bangsamoro elections.
Lanao del Sur has a registered voter base of over 700,000, the largest in the Bangsamoro region.
Expressing gratitude to the media and poll watchdogs for their vigilance, Gutoc reaffirmed her pride as a Maranao dedicated to championing lasting peace in the region./coa
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