PNP mulls additional deployment to secure BARMM for May polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is considering the deployment of additional personnel to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to secure the region during the 2025 national and local elections this May.

This was according to PNP Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo in a virtual briefing on Wednesday, following the killing of a municipal election officer and her husband in Datu Odin Sinsuat town, Maguindanao del Norte province.

READ: Election exec, husband slain in ambush in Maguindanao del Norte

“If ever, kung kinakailangan po na magkakaroon tayo ng forward deployment diyan sa rehiyon ng Bangsamoro ay gagawin natin yan. And in fact, yung deployment ng ating Special Action Force is being considered,” Fajardo said.

(If ever, if there’s a need for there to be a forward deployment there in the region of Bangsamoro, we’ll do that. And in fact, the deployment of our Special Action Force is being considered.)

READ: PNP: 11 validated election-related incidents so far

Fajardo added that the PNP was monitoring the region and working with the Regional Joint Security Coordinating Center to assess and validate suspected election-related incidents.

Five of the 11 validated election-related incidents recorded so far were in BARMM.

READ: PNP activates BARMM task force for midterm polls

To assist in securing the region for the May midterm elections, the national police force on Monday activated a special task force to work with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).