Multiple explosions rocked the Philippine province of Lanao del Norte in Mindanao ahead of the second round of a plebiscite concerning a new autonomous region happening today.
The latest blast came from a grenade and happened at 9:30 last night at the Mindanao State University high school in the town of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, the Philippine military’s 1st Infantry Division spokesperson Captain Clint Antipala said, according to GMA News.
At least two other explosions happened before this. One occurred in front of a gas station in Lala Town at around 4:35, while the other took place about 15 minutes after, near the municipal hall’s auditorium in the town of Kauswagan, CNN Philippines reported.
There have been no reported fatalities in any of the incidents.
The explosions happened despite both the military and police saying that they will heighten security ahead of the polls.
The polling precincts in Lanao del Norte and North Cotabato opened at around 8:30am today, another CNN Philippines report states.
This is the second round of a plebiscite in relation to the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which was signed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte in July last year.
The BOL is one of the requirements found in the 2014 peace agreement, called the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Under the BOL, a new autonomous region called the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be established in the Muslim-majority areas in the Southern Philippines. If ratified, the BARMM will be more powerful in terms of decision-making, tax share, and resources, than the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which it will replace.
The law has been ratified after all ARMM member provinces voted for it in the first round which occurred late last month.
Today’s polls will determine whether Lanao del Norte, excluding Iligan City, and North Cotabato will be part of the BARMM. Cotabato City, which isn’t part of the ARMM, earlier voted to be included in the BARMM.
Mindanao has been the site of various attacks, especially in recent weeks. Last week, more than 20 people died in Jolo, Sulu when explosives went off in a Cathedral while parishioners were attending Sunday mass.
This was followed a few days later by a grenade attack on a mosque in Zamboanga City that killed two religious leaders.
