Nartatez: 16,000 cops to be deployed for BARMM polls
Around 16,000 police officers will be deployed to secure the BARMM parliamentary elections, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
MANILA, Philippines — Around 16,000 police officers will be deployed to secure the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, acting Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
The BARMM polls, scheduled for October 13, will fill the 73 seats in the region’s parliament.
“If it’s lacking, we’ll just add to it upon our recommendation to the Comelec (Commission on Elections),” Nartatez said in Filipino in an interview with reporters in Camp Crame on Wednesday.
“We will just follow the (security) template and improve it and utilize our resources. We have our mandate to ensure that the election will push through, to make sure it is safe, secured, and fair elections for the parliament in BARMM,” he added.
READ: Almost 10,000 cops to be dispatched for Oct. 13 BARMM polls – Torre
His predecessor, former PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III, previously said nearly 10,000 police officers would be deployed for the BARMM polls.
Nartatez assumed office as acting PNP chief on Tuesday./mcm
