Gov’t, MILF tighten security coordination for BARMM polls

LANAO DEL NORTE — High-ranking military, police and peace officials met with commanders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Saturday at Camp Bilal in Munai town to solidify coordination mechanisms for peaceful, orderly, fair and credible 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE).

The high-level security dialogue brought together Bangsamoro Parliament Member (MP) Abdullah “Bravo” Macapaar, alongside fellow base commanders of the MILF-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) Northwestern Mindanao Front Command; Brig. Gen. Bernardo Taqueban, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade; and Police Maj. Pandapatan Tataan, chief of police of Munai.

Former Undersecretary David B. Diciano represented the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) to facilitate discussions among Macapaar, the military leadership and the police.

The dialogue focused on synchronizing ground-level security measures, establishing direct lines of communication and mitigating potential flashpoints in Lanao del Norte and adjacent communities ahead of the regional polls.

Highlighting the importance of sustained collaboration, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento emphasized the strategic value of early engagement between former combatants and state security forces.

"This meeting was convened to reaffirm all parties' steadfast commitment to the peace process. Sustaining open dialogue and operational synergy on the ground guarantees that the democratic voice of the Bangsamoro people can be expressed freely, securely, and without disruption,” Sarmiento said. He is also the concurrent chair of the Government Peace Implementing Panel.

The engagement builds on earlier institutional milestones achieved by both sides, notably the signing of updated operational guidelines for the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG). These refined protocols strengthen joint responses to local conflicts, criminal threats and peace-mechanism monitoring during sensitive transition milestones such as regional elections.

Both the security sector and BIAF-MILF commanders pledged continued transparency, proactive de-escalation and shared responsibility to safeguard regional stability and foster an environment conducive to an honest and orderly democratic exercise.