PNP CHIEF Gen. Nicolas Torre III yesterday said some 10,000 policemen have been deployed to secure the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on October 13.
In a press briefing at Camp Crame, Torre also said that 29 local government units in the region are classified as “areas of grave concern.”
“As part of our preparations for the 2025 BARMM elections, we have already deployed almost 10,000 personnel in various parts of BARMM,” he said, adding the PNP is implementing the gun ban ordered by the Commission on Elections across the region.
The gun ban is in effect during the election period, which will run from August 14 to October 28.
Citing data from the Comelec, Torre said 94 cities and municipalities in BARRM are considered as areas of immediate concern, while 29 are under red category or areas of grave concern.
Torre said two areas – Buluan town in Maguindanao del Sur and Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao del Norte – are currently under Comelec control.
“These are part of our extensive preparations to ensure the 2025 (BARMM) elections will be orderly and peaceful,” he said.
Comelec spokesman John Rex Laudiangco said the poll body is now in the “final stages” of its preparations for the October polls.
In a televised public briefing, Laudiangco said: “We are in the final stages of our preparation. The message is clear: the October 13 BARMM Parliamentary Elections will be pushing through.”
He said the technical aspect of their preparations have been completed, particularly the automated election system (AES).
“Our system is being continuously readied, and the local source code is ready. We have also completed the field testing and the mock elections, and all of them were successful,” he added.
He said they are now preparing for the training of the Electoral Board (EB) members in time for the poll exercise, and they are also set to commence with the printing of the official BPE ballots on August 24.
Laudiangco said they are also preparing for a smoother deployment of the election paraphernalia considering the possible weather conditions.
“Because October has a rainy season, that is something that the Comelec is also preparing for,” he said.
He said they are closely in coordination with the law enforcement and other security forces of the government in ensuring the peaceful and orderly conduct of the BPE. – With Gerard Naval
