Comelec: AFP, PNP deployed more troops to BARMM ahead of COC filing

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have deployed more personnel to the Bangsamoro region ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the autonomous area's first-ever parliamentary elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Sunday.

In an interview on Super Radyo dzBB, Comelec Chair George Garcia said the increased military and police presence would help ensure the peace and security of the COC filing process at the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from Nov. 4, Monday, to Nov. 9, Saturday.

"Sa pakikipagpulong ng mga local Comelec po namin diyan po sa Bangsamoro, nagdagdag na po ng puwersa ang AFP at PNP, eka nga karagdagang puwersa para lang masigurado na magiging mapayapa ang filing ng certificate of candidacy," Garcia said.

(Following meetings of the local Comelec in the Bangsamoro, the AFP and the PNP have added more forces to ensure the peaceful filing of certificates of candidacy.)

Although he welcomed the increased presence of the police and military, Garcia stressed that this should not be viewed that the government considers BARMM as a hotbed for poll violence.

"Hindi po natin minamarapat na gawing malabis o sobra ang mga puwersa sapagkat hindi rin nagiging maganda parang ang dating na lang sa lugar porke't andun sila sa Bangsamoro ay lagi na lang natin sila minamatyagan nang sobra," Garcia said.

(An excessive deployment was deemed unnecessary. It might send a wrong message that just because they are there in the Bangsamoro, we are monitoring them too closely.)

The poll chief added, "Hindi naman po, talaga lang sinisigurado lang natin na may sapat na tayong puwersa on a standby basis na kung saka-sakali lang kakailanganin."

(That is not the case. We just want to make sure that we have enough forces on a standby basis in case they will be needed.)

Garcia said the filing of COCs for the midterm polls from Oct. 1 to 8 were generally peaceful, except for one incident.

The Comelec chair was referring to a shooting incident on Oct. 8 in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, which left at least one person dead and five others wounded.

The municipal police said misinformation could have triggered the tension that ended in the death of a barangay peacekeeping action team member.

Less than two weeks later, the Comelec said the COC filing for the parliamentary polls would push through despite the Shariff Aguak shooting.

On Sunday, Garcia expressed confidence that the AFP and PNP would be able to maintain peace and order, not just for the filing of COCs but until Eleksyon 2025.

He did express his desire, however, for those behind violent acts to be immediately arrested and prosecuted.

In a related development, the Bangsamoro government announced in October that it has asked the Supreme Court to re-include Sulu province in the Bangsamoro Region. — VDV, GMA Integrated News