Palace Commits to Peaceful Bangsamoro Polls Amid SC Petition

MANILA, Philippines — Malacanang has assured the public that it remains committed to holding peaceful, fair and transparent elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) amid a petition filed before the Supreme Court challenging key aspects of the parliamentary polls. The assurance was relayed by Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo to BARMM stakeholders and key leaders who took cognizance of the recent High Court case. “All necessary preparations for the conduct of the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary polls this coming September 14 are in full swing, and the President himself had given assurance that this key part of CAB’s political track is the fulfillment of Bangsamoro people’s aspiration for self-government,” said Lagdameo. Lagdameo also pointed out that the September 14 parliamentary polls is also a major trigger for the normalization track because it was provided under the CAB that the final phase on decommissioning the Moro Islamic Liberation Front is tied to the establishment of a duly elected Bangsamoro government. Speaking at a Palace briefing on Monday, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed concerned agencies to ensure the orderly conduct of the September 14, BARMM Parliamentary Elections, despite concerns raised over election-related violence and the pending petition before the High Court. Castro made the statement after members of AMANA-BARMM gathered outside the Supreme Court a day after filing a very urgent motion to resolve issues related to the BARMM elections. "The districts, representation, and party participation governing that election remain under constitutional challenge," AMANA-BARMM convenor Maulana Mamutuk had said. Responding to a report by Climate Conflict Action Asia that 235 people had been killed in conflict incidents from January to July this year, including 28 allegedly linked to the upcoming BARMM elections, Castro said the Philippine National Police is still verifying the figures. "For now, according to the PNP, they welcome this kind of information, but they are verifying it, and that is what they will do," Castro said. She added that based on information from the Commission on Elections, the reported incidents of violence were not election-related but stemmed from personal conflicts. According to Castro, the PNP continues law enforcement operations against private armed groups and other security threats while maintaining close coordination with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Comelec through the Joint Security Control Centers. She said intelligence gathering, community engagement, and the enforcement of political neutrality among security personnel have also been intensified. At least 8,299 PNP personnel have been deployed for election security operations across BARMM, with additional forces ready for deployment depending on threat assessments and Comelec requirements. The AFP and Philippine Coast Guard are also supporting security operations, particularly in election areas of concern. (Contributed story)