Army to Assist in Securing BARMM's Inaugural Parliamentary Elections

The Philippine Army is set to deploy soldiers to various towns within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as part of security preparations for the region's inaugural parliamentary election scheduled for September 14. According to Maj. Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, the 28th Infantry Battalion (28th IB) will be deployed to support joint election security missions involving the Philippine National Police and the Army's 6th ID. The unit will operate under the guidance of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the 6th ID. The 6th ID, which falls under the Western Mindanao Command, operates in eight towns of the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (BSGA) in Cotabato, as well as in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte provinces. Maj. Gen. Jose Vladimir Cagara, commander of the 6th ID, stated that the 28th IB will be temporarily based in Magpet, Cotabato while awaiting directives from the Comelec. The Navy is also preparing to deploy its 1st Marine Brigade to secure parts of Maguindanao del Norte and 37 barangays in Cotabato City. Earlier, the Comelec had designated 27 areas in BARMM as "red" category, signifying serious threats posed by communist rebels and other threat groups. Comelec Chairman George Garcia explained that these areas were classified based on their history of election-related violence in previous polls. An additional 27 areas have been placed under the "orange" category, indicating potential election-related disturbances. BARMM encompasses the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi, along with the cities of Lamitan, Marawi, and Cotabato. This military deployment is a crucial step towards establishing peace and stability in BARMM and ensuring the smooth conduct of its democratic electoral process. The focused deployment in areas identified with higher risks of violence or disturbances during elections is vital for safeguarding voters and maintaining turnout.