PNP: Increase in checkpoints for BARMM polls not meant to intimidate

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has clarified that the increase in checkpoints for the upcoming Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections was not meant to intimidate voters.

“Police presence is not meant to intimidate or sow panic, but to ensure that the security concerns of the public are addressed,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said in a statement on Thursday.

“The heightened police presence is also intended to deter incidents of violence and harassment that could be linked to the elections,” he added.

Around 35,000 law enforcement checkpoints had been set up in BARMM, up from the 8,000 checkpoints in previous elections held in the region, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as of Sept. 7.

READ: PNP beefs up deployment for BARMM polls to over 9,800 cops

The top cop also appealed to BARMM residents to cooperate with the security operations.

“Residents should expect more checkpoints in the coming days as law enforcement units strengthen security measures across the region to prevent potential threats and keep communities safe,” the PNP chief maintained.

“We all want to have peaceful and orderly elections in BARMM and, for your PNP, there is an extra challenge: to get rid of the stereotype that elections always come with violence in this particular region and to prove that it is doable,” he added.

Some 2.393 million registered voters are expected to troop to 5,212 voting precincts across BARMM to fill 78 seats in the autonomous region’s parliament this coming Monday, Sept. 14.

The PNP previously said it was deploying 9,821 police officers for the polls. /mr