ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO-BAR) has adopted a heightened alert status to maintain peace and order during the filing of the Certificate of Candidacy (CoC) for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections, which started on Monday.

 PRO-BAR  Director  P/Brig. Gen. Romeo J. Macapaz said yesterday that PRO-BAR adopted a heightened alert status  and will intensify police  security operations  in the BARMM component provinces and cities.

 Macapaz said PRO-BAR will deploy security and route personnel, quick response force (QRF), police checkpoints and convoy security all over the region.

This is for security coverage and enhanced police visibility, especially in designated filing locations such as the Comelec provincial offices in the  Bangsamoro region, and other key areas, Macapaz said.

Additionally, PNP personnel will also be assigned to manage crowd control and traffic flow, and provide assistance through help desks for candidates and the public, he said.

Commission on Elections (Comelec) chair George Garcia said more police and military forces will be deployed in the BARMM during the filing of the CoC period which ends on Saturday, 9 November.

The deployment of additional security forces in the BARMM cities and provinces will ensure that the filing of the Certificates of Candidacy will be peaceful, Garcia said.

The Comelec will also open the filing of List of Nominees and Certificates of Acceptance of Nomination for regional parliamentary political parties, Garcia added.

A total of 73 BARMM parliamentary seats will be at stake during the first BARMM Parliamentary Elections scheduled on 12 May 2025, which also coincides with the national and local elections for the rest of the regions.