COTABATO CITY – Police officers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been ordered to remain non-partisan as security preparations intensify for the region’s historic parliamentary elections on September 14.
Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia, Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro (PRO-BAR) director, reminded all police personnel to uphold impartiality and professionalism throughout the election period, stressing that the “credibility of the polls depends largely on the integrity of law enforcement.”
“Above all, let us maintain our political neutrality,” Abecia said on Monday.
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“Bear in mind that the world is watching us in this first (parliamentary) election in the BARMM.”
He directed all police commanders and unit heads to remain proactive and ensure their personnel are prepared to respond swiftly to any incident that could disrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections.
Security operations are being intensified, particularly in the 27 municipalities in the Bangsamoro region placed under the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) “red category” due to their history of election-related violence and armed conflicts.
With the election gun ban now in effect, Abecia instructed police officers manning checkpoints to strictly enforce election laws while respecting the rights and dignity of the public.
“To all unit commanders, exercise close supervision over your personnel. Keep them focused, disciplined, and mission-oriented,” he said.
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As part of heightened security measures, Abecia ordered increased police visibility in the “red category” municipalities, intensified intelligence monitoring, and closer coordination with the Comelec, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other partner agencies.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia clarified that the “red category” classification should not be interpreted as an indication that the municipalities are currently experiencing election-related violence or unrest.
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He explained that the areas were classified based on their record of election-related incidents during the May 2025 national and local elections, making them priority areas for enhanced security and monitoring.
Garcia also noted that, so far, no election-related attacks against candidates or voters have been recorded.
The recent grenade attacks reported in the two Maguindanao provinces, he said, were directed at military personnel and “were not considered election-related.”
To secure the region’s first parliamentary polls, the Philippine National Police will deploy 8,299 personnel across BARMM.
The security contingent consists of 4,983 regular PRO-BAR personnel, 1,316 police officers from national support units, and 2,000 augmentation personnel from other police regional offices nationwide.
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The first Bangsamoro regional polls will elect 80 members of the Bangsamoro Parliament under the region’s new parliamentary form of government, marking a major milestone in the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace process. /gsg