Western Mindanao police forces prepare for Bangsamoro parliamentary polls
After what police described as peaceful and orderly midterm elections last month, security officials are now initiating early security preparations for the Oct. 13 regular election of the Bangsamoro parliamentary government.
Police Lt. Gen. Bernard Banac, commander of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao (APC-WesMin), said the security preparations are aimed at sustaining the successful intervention and law enforcement operations during the midterm polls.
“We have already alerted other police maneuver forces under the operational control of APC- WesMin to prepare for possible augmentation and operational support to Task Force BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM),” said Banac.
Task Force BARMM that supervises all law enforcement and public safety operations to ensure the orderly and peaceful electoral exercise in coordination with Armed Forces of the Philippines, Commission on Election, and Philippine Coast Guard units stationed in BARMM.
Banac, who is the concurrent commander of the Task Force BARMM, said the augmentation and operational support will come from the Zamboanga Peninsula and the Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City) regions.
The Bangsamoro parliamentary elections were supposed to be synchronized with the May 12 midterm polls but President Marcos signed the law rescheduling the elections on Oct. 13.
The parliamentary elections is a step towards the provisions of the peace agreement with MILF for the BARMM government.
Those who win will replace the officials of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, which was created in 2019 after the peace agreement to supervise the governance in the region.