The Commission Elections (COMELEC) on Sunday, 6 September, expressed optimism that the September 14 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be peaceful and orderly.

“Kakaiba ang katahimikan ngayon na nanaig sa Bangsamoro and, therefore, magiging maayos ang halalan sa September 14,” said COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia stated during a radio interview.

(There is an unusual peace taking place in the BARMM and, therefore, there will be orderly elections this September 14.)

He cited that there has been only one election-related incident in the BARMM which was the August 15 ambush against BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua who survived the attack.

Garcia noted, “Isa lang sa kasaysayan ng Bangsamoro, first time po ito, ang election-related incident.”

(There is only one election-related incident for the first time in the history of the Bangsamoro.)

“Ito hindi po ito nasundan ‘yung nangyayaring pananambang sa interim chief minister,” he added.

(No other incident followed the ambush against the interim chief minister.)

Despite this, the COMELEC chief assured, “nagpreposition na po tayo ng mga sundalo at mga miyembro ng Philippine National Police.”

(We prepositioned soldiers and police,)

“Nagtrain na rin po tayo ng karagdagang PNP kung sakali hahalinhin, papalit sa mga guro kung saakali kung ano man ang kadahilanan ay hindi sila makapagsilbi sa araw ng eleksyon,” he said.

(We also trained policemen as substitute election officers in the event there are teachers who will not be able to fulfill their duties during the election.)