President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) proposal to deputize the military, police, and other law enforcement agencies for the plebiscite in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Malacañang said Sunday.
Marcos, through Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, issued Memorandum Order 23 asking the assistance of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the plebiscites to ratify the creation of eight municipalities in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in BARMM.
According to Malacañang, Bersamin issued Memorandum Order No. 23 on 8 April but was not made public on 14 April, which concurred the Comelec Resolution 10980.
"The foregoing law enforcement agencies and other concerned agencies are hereby directed to coordinate and cooperate with the Comelec in the performance of their duties and functions, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations," the order read.
The Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) Nos. 41 to 48 (s. 2023), which was passed by BARMM's Parliament on August 17, 2023, made the towns of Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan, and Ligawasan.
The Chief Minister of BARMM signed off on BAA Nos. 41 to 48 on 4 September 2023.
Hence, the Comelec En Banc asked the president for permission on 28 February to send representatives from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other law enforcement agencies to the plebiscite.
This was done through Resolution No. 10980.
The Constitution gives the poll body the power to call on law enforcement agencies and government agencies, like the AFP and PNP, to make sure that elections are free, fair, calm, and trustworthy, as long as the president agrees.
