Peace adviser lauds police, military for securing midterm polls in BARMM

Part of the augmentation military forces to help ensure peaceful elections in the Bangsamoro Region arrived Friday, May 9, and are being deployed to the area of operation of 6th Infantry Division based in Maguindanao del Norte. (Photo from 6ID)

ILIGAN CITY — Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. has lauded the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for playing a key role in ensuring the safety and security of voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the May 12 midterm elections.

In a statement, Galvez noted how police and military forces were able to keep the peace, particularly in hotly-contested areas that were vulnerable to outbreaks of violence.

READ: Reforms eyed for BARMM polls amid lessons from midterms

The heavy presence of government security forces, especially in hotbed areas, and pre-poll activities such as peace covenant signing among political contenders “effectively contained incidents of election-related violence in the region,” Galvez stressed.

The AFP’s Western Mindanao Command had held peace dialogues with candidates in the BARMM in the run-up to Election Day.

The PNP also deployed some 3,698 personnel to serve as members of electoral boards in areas where public school teachers begged off from poll duties.

The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity also arranged for the cooperation of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to helping maintain a peace conduct of the polls.

Although there were a few security hitches, especially in Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Sur provinces, the balloting in all precincts in the region were not disrupted.

Galvez said the markedly improved conduct of elections in the Bangsamoro region provides rich lessons and bodes well for the upcoming regional parliamentary election in October this year.

“With the conduct of the parliamentary elections in October, all eyes will be on the BARMM, including those of the international community. We must prepare well for this,” Galvez said. /jpv