The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is hoping that winners of the just concluded Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) will be its partners in maintaining peace and security in the communities.
AFP Chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr. said the cooperation of the public with relevant government agencies led to the successful and generally peaceful village and youth polls last Oct. 30.
"No threat group was able to cause any disruption in the voting process and the several election-related incidents weren't able to prevent our citizens from exercising their right to vote for their preferred baranggay officials and youth leaders," Brawner said on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
The military chief said that BSKE winners have the responsibility to serve their constituents, and part of their duty is to ensure the people's safety.
He said the AFP will remain "vigilant and on alert" to prevent any threat groups from disrupting the peace in the communities.
"We will also sustain our gains in the internal security operations in order to achieve complete victory against the communist and local terrorist groups as we face the challenges in the conduct of territorial defense operations," Brawner said.
Meanwhile, the AFP chief also cited the cooperation between the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Philippine National Police (PNP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Department of Education (DepEd) which allowed them to "attain our goal of a secured, free, and orderly conduct of election."
"The Armed Forces of the Philippines remains resolute in its mission of protecting the Filipino people and securing the State from all kinds of threats, man-made or natural," Brawner concluded.