MILF political party volunteer dies during assembly

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COTABATO CITY -– A 28-year-old woman from Guindulungan, Maguindanao collapsed and eventually died due to exhaustion while attending the general assembly of Moro Islamic Liberation Fton (MILF) political party Thursday, police said today.

Senior Inspector Esmael Madin, Sultan Kudarat police chief, identified the victim as Badria Guiamadel who was one of the more than 128,000 individual-volunteers who attended the three-day assembly of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party in Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Sammy Al-Mansoor, UBJP secretary general, told DXMS Radyo Bida station that about six other attendees have collapsed due to extreme heat during the three-day gathering.

“We are extending assistance to the families of the victim,” he said of Guiamadel.

Al-Mansoor said the UBJP secretariat was not officially informed but the party is extending financial assistance.

He said the UBJP is expressing its condolences to the family of Guiamadel even as he appealed to her family to officially inform the political party.

Describing the gathering as “very successful,” Al-Mansoor said the political party is now ready to participate in the Philippine electoral process.

It will be the first time since the MILF, through the UBJP, will actively participate in the electoral process.

”Our first participation will be next year when the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law, once approved by Congress, will be subjected to a plebiscite,” he said, adding the MILF, as a revolutionary organization, cannot participate in elections.

Al-Mansoor earlier told reporters the new political party is open to all, regardless of religious affiliation and conviction as long as they subscribe to the party policies.

He said UBJP is now working on its accreditation with the Commission on Elections after it received the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission legalizing its existence.