The Philippine National Police (PNP) has heightened its security measures for the upcoming parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), deploying over 10,000 officers to ensure a smooth electoral process.
Effective September 11, the PNP declared a full alert status that will remain until September 30. This decision is part of the preparations for the elections scheduled for September 14.
Comprehensive Deployment Plan
That is 100 percent of our personnel that will be there at their places of assignment to better handle any emergency or any contingency.
Col. Allen Rae Co, PNP Public Information Chief
Col. Co detailed that the PNP's deployment includes specific assignments across the region, with 4,979 personnel from PRO BARMM and an additional 5,460 from various specialized units.
The elections are expected to engage approximately 2.393 million registered voters across 5,212 polling precincts, with 78 members to be elected to the BARMM parliament. This electoral event is crucial for the region's governance and stability.
With heightened tensions in previous elections, the PNP's proactive measures reflect a commitment to safeguarding the democratic process in BARMM, which has been marked by both political and security challenges in the past.