AFP vows full support to secure BARMM polls
Published Aug 25, 2025 02:30 pm
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. orders troops to secure the first ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during his visit to the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) at Camp General Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City and the 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division at Camp Siongco in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte on Aug. 19, 2025. The BARMM will hold its first-ever parliamentary elections on October 13 to elect a new set of leaders that would replace the interim government following the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2018. (Photo: AFP)
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it is fully prepared to help ensure the safe and orderly conduct of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in October.
The AFP’s primary role is to provide support to the Philippine National Police (PNP), which is the lead agency in securing the polls, under the supervision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), military spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said on Monday, Aug. 25.
“We provide backup security, we provide perimeter defense. We assist in transporting the ballots and we conduct checkpoints, perimeter defense in critical areas. Of course, we also hve rapid response capability,” she said.
Padilla emphasized that the AFP is maintaining a strong security presence in different parts of the region, with nearby military camps ready to respond if needed, especially in areas identified as “high-risk” based on historical incidents and current threat assessments, or those with a history of election-related violence.
While specific locations were not disclosed for operational security reasons, Padilla assured that appropriate security measures have already been deployed.
She said the coordination of AFP with other agencies has been “very smooth,” citing the establishment of a Joint Operation Center dedicated to the BARMM polls.
“We share intelligence, conduct joint patrols, and coordinate daily with Comelec, the PNP, local government units, and traditional leaders in BARMM to ensure security at the community level. Election security is not just the responsibility of the military or police, it has to be a community effort,” she stressed.
She also underscored the importance of collaboration with peace stakeholders in the region.
“We are working closely with local peace committees and MILF [Moro Islamic Liberation Front] leaders to help ensure the elections are conducted peacefully, especially in areas that have traditionally seen tensions,” she said.
The BARMM will hold its first-ever parliamentary elections on Oct. 13 to elect a new set of leaders that would replace the interim government following the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2018.
Last week, AFP Chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. visited the Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) at Camp General Basilio Navarro in Zamboanga City and the 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division at Camp Siongco in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, and ordered troops to “prepare for any eventuality” to secure the BARMM polls.
“We must prepare ourselves for any eventualities,” he emphasized. “We are one of the few institutions trusted by the Filipino people to keep our country stable. We must not be shaken—we should remain solid and professional in fulfilling our duty.”