MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has vowed to use to the fullest its power and constitutional duty to enforce and administer election laws to ensure that the upcoming first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections will be clean, honest and peaceful.
Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia made the assurance as he confirmed the deployment of additional security forces to the BARMM to bolster safety for the upcoming regional elections, saying that coordination has already been made with the military and police leadership, and other concerned agencies of the government to deploy additional personnel to the autonomous region.
"Through a coordinated effort with the Philippine National Police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard, authorities are readying reinforcements to ensure a secure electoral process," added Garcia even as he pointed out that specific troop numbers remain classified for tactical and operational reasons/.
Addressing potential threats, the election chief issued a stern warning to groups that may attempt to intimidate the electoral board members or interfere with their access to polling precincts, stating that contingency measures—including the availability of replacement personnel from the PNP—are ready to step in if necessary to ensure that election operations will continue despite any threats.
At the same time, Garcia assured teachers and election workers that they will not be abandoned and that security measures are in place to protect them throughout the electoral process, saying that "this commitment is designed to foster a clean, orderly, and credible atmosphere for the first-ever BARMM parliamentary elections."
He said the Comelec and the concerned security agencies of the government will be coming up with new security protocols from lessons learned in the last May 2025 midterm elections which, he pointed out, was generally peaceful even in hotly-contested areas.
"Issues in the last elections gave us an opportunity to adjust our preparations. We’ll consider these lessons to avoid committing the same mistakes in the Bangsamoro elections,” Garcia added,
Preparations are now entering a crucial phase. Following successful voting simulations and election-related adjustments in Tawi-Tawi and Maguindanao del Norte, the printing of ballots for approximately 2.3 million registered voters is scheduled to begin during the first week of July.
Among the key reforms for the BARMM elections are changes introduced in response to issues raised during the 2025 elections. Comelec has increased the ballot shading threshold from 15 percent to 25 percent and will use oil-based marking pens instead of water-based ones.
Garcia explained that the adjustments are designed to improve ballot readability and voter confidence in the automated election system, saying that the enhancements are part of the continuing effort to improve future elections, including the 2028 polls.
The regional election will be held on September 14 with a total of 80 parliamentary seats up for grabs. Aside from 32 district representatives, here are 40 seats for Party Representatives and 8 seats for Sectoral Representatives.
