Philippine Army Deploys Battalion for BARMM Election Security

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Army has deployed the 28th Infantry Battalion to help secure the 2026 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections after the unit completed an operational readiness evaluation. The battalion, led by Lt. Col. Elben Naval, will augment the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ election security operations in the Bangsamoro region, the military said on Saturday. The deployment comes as security forces prepare for the BARMM parliamentary elections in September, in which residents of the autonomous region will elect members of its Parliament. READ: Marcos vows first BARMM elections will push through in September Before deployment, the battalion completed the Army’s Battalion Evaluation and Certification Program, which assesses a unit’s operational readiness and mission capability. Maj. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the Army’s 10th Infantry Division, addressed the troops during their send-off ceremony on Friday in Magpet, Cotabato. Luzon reminded the soldiers to remain professional and politically nonpartisan as they help secure the elections. “As you deploy to support the BARMM Parliamentary Elections, you carry the responsibility of helping ensure a secure environment where every eligible voter can freely exercise the right of suffrage,” Luzon said. The military said the deployment forms part of the AFP’s efforts to help ensure peaceful, orderly, safe and credible parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro region. — Charles Errol Baldoz, intern