PARANG, Maguindanao del Norte — Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla has issued a strong warning to police personnel tasked with securing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, saying every police officer will be held accountable if violence occurs during the Sept. 14 polls.
Remulla delivered the warning on Wednesday, Aug. 26, during the final command conference for the first parliamentary elections in BARMM.
According to Remulla, the police must ensure that peace prevails throughout the election period and that the recent ambush involving BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua is not repeated.
He said police officers would be held responsible for maintaining peace in their respective areas, with accountability reaching both the individual officer and the police leadership.
The warning comes just weeks after Macacua and members of his entourage survived an armed attack on their convoy in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Aug. 15. The Philippine National Police has classified the incident as a suspected election-related incident and created a special investigation task group to pursue those responsible.
Police deployment set to increase on election day
Remulla said the government is already about 98% ready for the Sept. 14 BARMM parliamentary elections, with remaining preparations focused on final adjustments and security coordination.
He also said an additional 5,000 police officers would be deployed on election day.
PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., meanwhile, said the total police deployment could reach at least 10,000 personnel on election day. Earlier security plans had already placed thousands of police officers across the region, with additional forces being prepared for areas identified as having elevated security risks.
The PNP has been increasing intelligence operations, police visibility and troop deployments as the historic election approaches.
The Comelec has identified 108 areas of concern across BARMM, with Lanao del Sur recording the highest number of red-category areas. Maguindanao del Sur also has several areas classified under elevated security categories.
Security concerns remain despite limited confirmed poll-related violence
Authorities have emphasized that not every violent incident reported in BARMM is necessarily connected to the elections.
As of Aug. 26, the Philippine News Agency reported that police had recorded 40 shooting incidents across BARMM since the election gun ban began on July 16. However, Comelec considered only one incident to be election-related — the Aug. 15 attack on Macacua’s convoy.
Police said many of the other shootings were linked to personal disputes, clan conflicts, robbery or the illegal drug trade rather than the upcoming elections. Fourteen people had been killed and eight wounded in those incidents, according to the PNA report.
That distinction is significant because authorities have repeatedly said that the security situation should not be judged solely by the number of violent incidents in the region.
Earlier in July, Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said there had been no recorded election-related violence at that point, while authorities continued implementing checkpoints and the election gun ban.
MILF, government forces urged to respect the elections
Remulla also said the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and government forces had committed to respecting Philippine law and the electoral process.
He said the different camps had sworn to abide by the country’s laws and respect the elections.
The commitment is particularly important as the Sept. 14 vote marks a major milestone in BARMM’s transition toward an elected regional government.
Around 2.4 million voters are expected to participate in the region’s first parliamentary elections, which will determine the members of the Bangsamoro Parliament. The election is expected to end the region’s seven-year transition period, during which the parliament was composed of presidential appointees.
Government insists the polls will push through
Despite the Aug. 15 ambush, the national government and Comelec have maintained that the BARMM parliamentary elections will proceed as scheduled.
The Comelec has described the attack as an isolated incident and said preparations, including personnel training and deployment, were continuing.
Malacañang has likewise directed security and law-enforcement agencies to ensure that the elections are peaceful, orderly and credible. The government’s security plan includes coordination among the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines and other agencies, as well as intelligence gathering and focused operations against security threats.
For Remulla, however, the message to the police is clear: peace must prevail, and officers will be expected to answer for what happens in their areas.
With the historic BARMM parliamentary vote only weeks away, authorities now face the challenge of maintaining that peace while protecting millions of voters and hundreds of candidates across the region.
The Sept. 14 election will not only test BARMM’s transition to elected government — it will also test whether the region can conduct a historic vote without allowing violence to overshadow the ballot.
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