Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Monday assured the public that security measures remain in place ahead of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next month.

Nartatez said police commanders have been directed to intensify intelligence gathering and make real-time deployment adjustments in the remaining weeks before the 14 September elections.

He also stressed that the recent attack on the convoy of BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua in Maguindanao del Norte would not affect the scheduled polls.

“We in the Philippine National Police, along with our partners in the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Commission on Elections, will continue to assess the security situation and conduct necessary adjustments to ensure that the incident does not disrupt the electoral process,” Nartatez said.

“We assure the people of BARMM that the PNP, along with the AFP, Comelec and other stakeholders, will do everything within its mandate to ensure their safety and protect their right to participate freely and peacefully in the elections,” he added.

The security preparations are in line with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to ensure public safety and support peaceful, orderly and credible BARMM parliamentary elections.

Comelec earlier said the attack appeared to be an isolated incident and should not be grounds for postponing the elections.

Macacua and members of his entourage escaped unharmed after armed men fired at their convoy Saturday afternoon in Barangay Dulangan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

He was traveling from his hometown in Barangay Gambar, Mother Kabuntalan, after attending the proclamation rally of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party.

Macacua recently joined the party and was named its chairman after previously running as an independent candidate in Maguindanao del Norte’s third district.

Nartatez directed police units across BARMM to remain vigilant and politically neutral while protecting voters, candidates and election personnel as the polls draw closer.