General Santos City — The 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in South Central Mindanao has already declared a full red alert status concerning Monday's 2023 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE).
In a media statement, Joint Task Force Central Commander, Major General Alex Rillera, disclosed in a send-off ceremony in the deployment of troops that they will ensure that the BSKE will be conducted peacefully.
The deployment of troops from the division shall bolster the forces of the 601st Infantry Brigade, 603rd Brigade, and the 1st Mechanized Brigade.
According to Rillera, all the soldiers' conduct passes are now suspended to make sure that all troops are well-accounted and ready at all times. The commander also said that peaceful and orderly elections would be the main goal of the soldiers for the benefit of the voting public.
The conduct of the BSKE elections in the Bangsamoro Region is not only vital for the region itself and the country but for the international community as well. "We will let the world see that we are indeed ready for development. Mindanao today is different in the '70s and '80s because of our continued experience of peace and stability," Rillera in his media statement said.
To recall, even the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has focused on the Bangsamoro Region due to the history of election-related violence.
