The Hakbang ng Maisug-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) condemned the ambush of the Commission on Election (Comelec) officer Bai Maceda Lidasan and her husband, Datu Jojo Abo, on Wednesday morning in Barangay Makir, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
“This reprehensible act of violence is not only an attack on innocent lives but also a direct assault on democracy, justice, and the rule of law in the Bangsamoro region,” the group said in a statement.
According to lawyer Mohammad Nabil Mutia, Lidasan-Abo was traveling to the office in Datu Odin Sinsuat’s Barangay Dalican when she was attacked along Barangay Makir’s national highway.
Based on reports, Lidasan-Abo was aboard an SUV driven by her husband. Lodasan-Abo sustained injuries while her husband died while undergoing medical care at a hospital in Cotabato City.
The group emphasized that the tragedy underscored the alarming state of peace and security in the communities.
“Where the Philippine National Police reports an average of two killings per day — a harrowing statistic that exposes the failure of those in power to protect their people. Despite years of peace negotiations and pledges of progress, our land remains stained with blood, and impunity reigns. Enough is enough,” the group said.
The group demanded immediate justice for the couple.
The group stressed that perpetrators and masterminds behind the heinous crime must be hunted down, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law.
“Those who enable such violence—whether through indifference, complicity, or abuse of authority—must also be held accountable. Transparency, Accountability, Peace, and Security (TAPS) are not mere slogans; they are the foundation of a just society, and we will not rest until they are realized,” the group said.
The group also sent a message to the people of BARMM:
“Now is the time to rise. We must unite against corruption, warlordism, and the culture of violence that has plagued our homeland for generations. Silence and inaction only embolden the wicked. To the government: Stop the empty promises. Deliver real justice, real security, and real peace. The blood of the innocent cries out for action,” the group said.
A follow up operation is in progress, and all access points to and from Datu Odin town have been closed off.
