COTABATO CITY — The Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police on Thursday has recommended to the Commission on Elections to place at least 99 villages under its control ahead of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections slated on 30 October.

Maguindanao del Sur Provincial Police director Colonel Ruel Sermese in an interview disclosed that they have proposed the recommendation to avoid unnecessary disturbances during the conduct of elections.

Maguindanao Sur has 287 barangays in 24 municipalities and Sermese stressed that in the said areas of grave concern, there exist clan wars, intense political rivalry and the presence of armed groups that may affect the conduct of elections.

"We are awaiting the response of the Comelec," Sermese said.

Earlier, the Maguindanao Provincial Peace and Order Council had recommended to the Comelec to let the police officers from other regions serve as electoral board members if the teachers cannot serve.

In a resolution passed last week, PPOC said the move would allow the Police Regional Office in the Bangsamoro Region in Muslim Mindanao to deploy more personnel in other areas of the region.

"Whether that request is acted upon or not, our preparation continues, including the possibility of our police officers acting as electoral board officials," Sermese said.

On Wednesday, 300 police officers from Maguindanao del Sur completed a three-day training in administering the Barangay and SK elections.
In a separate interview, Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza, BARMM police regional director, said security briefings, assessment and evaluation of threat groups are being conducted to further boost police readiness for the coming polls.