Japanese monitoring team expresses admiration to conduct of BOL plebiscite
Published Jan 28, 2019 06:50 pm
By Roy Mabasa
A 13-man Japanese monitoring team who visited the Philippines as international observers to the first plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) has expressed their admiration to the conduct of the exercise.
PLEBISCITE CANVASSING – Muslim women are in high spirits as they wait for the votes in the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law to be counted at a canvassing center in Cotabato City Tuesday. (Keith Bacongco / MANILA BULLETIN)
Norikazu Suzuki, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Parliament and head of the mission, said he was "very impressed" by the passion of the voters, and praised the dedication of public school teachers who conducted the procedure impartially with resolute.
The Japanese mission was composed of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat of the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
During the first plebiscite on January 21, the team visited Sero Central Elementary School in Cotabato City and observed the opening of the voting precinct, actual voting process, counting of votes, and the canvassing by the Cotabato City board of canvassers.
The following day on January 22, the Japanese delegation met with Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al-haj Murad Ebrahim.
In the meeting, Suzuki explained that Japan dispatched the monitoring mission as a partner of the Philippines, with whom it has stood shoulder-to-shoulder for more than 10 years in the Mindanao peace process.
The Japanese official assured that Japan will strengthen its support according to the progress of the peace process, and underscored the importance of the smooth implementation of the decommissioning of MILF combatants.
Both Galvez and Murad conveyed their gratitude for Japan's support and assistance as well as their expectations for the continuing warm relations between the two countries.
In addition, Galvez and Murad assured the visiting delegation of their firm resolve to implement the peace process.
A second plebiscite will be held next month in Lanao del Norte and Nirth Cotabato where over 600,000 voters registered to decide whether parts of their provinces will be included in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
PLEBISCITE CANVASSING – Muslim women are in high spirits as they wait for the votes in the plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law to be counted at a canvassing center in Cotabato City Tuesday. (Keith Bacongco / MANILA BULLETIN)
Norikazu Suzuki, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Japanese Parliament and head of the mission, said he was "very impressed" by the passion of the voters, and praised the dedication of public school teachers who conducted the procedure impartially with resolute.
The Japanese mission was composed of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat of the International Peace Cooperation Headquarters, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
During the first plebiscite on January 21, the team visited Sero Central Elementary School in Cotabato City and observed the opening of the voting precinct, actual voting process, counting of votes, and the canvassing by the Cotabato City board of canvassers.
The following day on January 22, the Japanese delegation met with Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Carlito Galvez and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chairman Al-haj Murad Ebrahim.
In the meeting, Suzuki explained that Japan dispatched the monitoring mission as a partner of the Philippines, with whom it has stood shoulder-to-shoulder for more than 10 years in the Mindanao peace process.
The Japanese official assured that Japan will strengthen its support according to the progress of the peace process, and underscored the importance of the smooth implementation of the decommissioning of MILF combatants.
Both Galvez and Murad conveyed their gratitude for Japan's support and assistance as well as their expectations for the continuing warm relations between the two countries.
In addition, Galvez and Murad assured the visiting delegation of their firm resolve to implement the peace process.
A second plebiscite will be held next month in Lanao del Norte and Nirth Cotabato where over 600,000 voters registered to decide whether parts of their provinces will be included in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).