The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring peaceful and credible elections as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepares for its first parliamentary polls on 14 September.

AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio Nafarrete reaffirmed the military’s support during the Final Command Conference on Wednesday, 26 August, at Camp Salipada K. Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte.

Nafarrete joined Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla, Commission on Elections Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and other government and security officials.

Following a security briefing by the Western Mindanao Command, Nafarrete said peaceful elections require strong coordination, discipline and a unified commitment among government institutions and other stakeholders.

“This election carries the hope of communities that have worked hard for peace and greater self-governance,” Nafarrete said.

He reiterated the AFP’s support for Comelec and its partners, stressing the military’s commitment to protecting the people’s right to vote.

“To our Comelec and all our partners, you have the full support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” Nafarrete said.

PNP bolsters BARMM security

Nartatez, meanwhile, ordered reinforced security measures across BARMM in the remaining weeks before the elections.

While the security situation remains stable, he said monitoring and adjustments continue on the ground to prevent groups or individuals from influencing or compromising the electoral process.

“What we are standing for is the protection of the sanctity of this democratic process and the right of every voter to freely choose their leaders. That is the commitment we made since we started preparing the security measures, that is the commitment that we in the PNP will honor,” Nartatez said.

He said the PNP continues to coordinate with Comelec and the AFP to validate incidents reported across the region in recent weeks.

Coordination with other stakeholders is also continuing, with authorities saying almost all reported incidents were linked to other motives and did not indicate a serious security threat to the elections.

“We do not downplay the fact that one election-related incident was recorded in BARMM. But we want to assure the public that the police remain in control in ensuring peace and order in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections,” Nartatez said.

He said no serious security threat has been monitored, but police units across BARMM remain on alert and are closely monitoring developments.

Police patrols will be intensified to deter further incidents and address potential threats, while checkpoints and police visibility will be strengthened in communities.

Local police forces are also continuing to enforce the gun ban as part of efforts to prevent violence and maintain public safety.

The measures are in line with directives from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Remulla to maintain peace and order and ensure the safety of communities as the region prepares for the polls.

The PNP, Comelec and AFP began security preparations for the BARMM elections as early as last year, including adjustments to police deployment across the region.