THE Philippine National Police says it is fully prepared to secure the historic BARMM parliamentary elections in September, with checkpoints, a Comelec gun ban, and coordination with the AFP and local governments to ensure peaceful, orderly and credible polls in the Bangsamoro region.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is on track for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on 14 September, with Chairman George Erwin Garcia assuring the public that there are no legal impediments preventing the polls from proceeding.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Garcia dismissed misinformation claiming that a recent Supreme Court ruling would halt the elections, clarifying that the decision pertained only to the earlier Bangsamoro redistricting law that had already been declared unconstitutional.
He said the new Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts (BAA) Nos. 87 and 88, which established the revised parliamentary districts, have not been declared unconstitutional, and the Supreme Court has not issued a temporary restraining order against their implementation.
"There is no restraining order. The elections on Sept. 14 will push through," Garcia said.
The Comelec chief also reported improvements in the peace and order situation across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), noting that none of its 105 municipalities and two cities is under Comelec control.
He said only about 21 areas remain under the "red" category for election security concerns, while several localities previously classified as red or orange have already been downgraded to yellow or green.
Garcia added that recent violent incidents in the region were classified as common crimes or personal disputes and were not election-related.
The poll body has completed the printing of all ballots and has begun packing and deploying election equipment.
Technicians have already been deployed across the region, while teachers who will serve on electoral boards and around 3,000 Philippine National Police personnel will undergo two weeks of training.
All critical election preparations are expected to be completed before the end of August, with all election materials in place by Sept. 1.
To support election operations, Comelec will deploy around 7,000 automated counting machines for 5,211 clustered precincts, reducing the number of voters per precinct to about 600.
The commission has also prepared 1,218 contingency machines, with each municipality receiving at least 10 backup units, while the cities of Cotabato and Lamitan will receive around 30 each.
Around 300 spare batteries and additional Starlink satellite communication units have also been prepositioned.
Garcia said the Armed Forces of the Philippines plans to deploy about 9,000 additional personnel from outside the Bangsamoro region to augment local security forces during the elections.
He identified misinformation as the biggest challenge facing the electoral exercise, saying false reports continue to create confusion over whether the elections will proceed.
Garcia also disclosed that Comelec is set to cancel the accreditation of a major political party over alleged misrepresentation, although he declined to identify the party because the decision has yet to be formally promulgated.
He noted that any cancellation would not take immediate effect, as the affected party may still appeal the decision before the courts.
The Comelec chief also vowed to strictly enforce election laws against vote-buying and the abuse of state resources.
"We will disqualify candidates if warranted. That is our duty," Garcia said, urging the public to report election violations so the commission can act immediately.
Garcia also appealed to the media and civil society organizations to help educate voters using simple language, saying public understanding of the new parliamentary electoral system remains one of the commission's priorities ahead of the historic polls.
