MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. called for an intensified intelligence-gathering and real-time deployment adjustments as the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections nears this September.
“We in the PNP, along with our partners in the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Commission on Elections (Comelec), will continue to assess the security situation and conduct necessary adjustments to ensure that the incident does not disrupt the electoral process,” Nartatez said in a statement.
Likewise, the PNP chief also assured the people of BARMM that the PNP, along with the AFP, Comelec and other stakeholders will do everything within its mandate to ensure their safety and protect their right to participate freely and peacefully in the elections.
Weeks leading to the polls, BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua was ambushed in Maguindanao del Norte but Nartatez assured that it will not affect the polls.
The Comelec earlier said the attack appeared to be an isolated incident and should not be a reason to postpone the BARMM parliamentary polls.
Macacua and members of his entourage escaped unharmed after armed men fired at their convoy Saturday afternoon in Barangay Dulangan, Datu Odin Sinsuat. He was traveling from his hometown in Barangay Gambar, Mother Kabuntalan after attending the proclamation rally of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party.
Macacua recently joined the party and was named its chairman after previously running as an independent candidate in the province’s third district.
Nartatez directed police units in BARMM to remain vigilant and politically neutral while protecting voters, candidates, and election personnel as the polls draw closer.
Considered ERI
In a press briefing held at Camp Crame on Monday, PNP spokesperson and information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said the incident is considered a suspected election-related incident (ERI) since it involves a candidate or a public official in the area and it happened during the election period.
“Alam naman natin (We all know that) election period is July 16 to Sept. 29. As of now it is still a suspected ERI. Now magcoconvene yung committee dito (Now the committee will convene here.) to ascertain whether this will be considered finally as ERI once it meets the criteria so to speak to labaled as ERI,” Co told reporters.
“We have no ERI recorded yet as of now. Possibly this will be the first kung ever this will be later considered or confirmed as ERI. As of now yung ating mga investigators and crime scene processors were able to retrieve 81 fired cartridges. A Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) ICM was already created and they have their first meeting immediately after yung incident,” he stressed.
Co also said that the PNP is closely coordinating and working with the Comelec, AFP, and other agencies there in the area should the threat level be increased upon assessment.
“We will be adjusting accordingly, but as of now we have already deployed more than 9,400 personnel to look after yung peace and order during this election, 4,500 of whom are augmented from other units,” he noted.
Joint peace mechanisms, security sectors mobilized for BARMM polls
Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, who is also the concurrent Chair of the Government of the Philippines’ Peace Implementing Panel, is closely coordinating with the security sector and his counterparts in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front through the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group to monitor the peace and security situation in the BARMN.
Sarmiento flew to Maguindanao del Norte on Sunday and met with officials of the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army and the PNP to closely monitor the situation on the ground following the reported ambush of BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and his delegation in Barangay Bitu, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte last Aug. 15.
“Under the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr, our agency remains steadfast in its commitment to support the conduct of free, peaceful, honest, and credible elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Sarmiento said.
He also said the OPAPRU strongly condemns any act of violence, intimidation, or threats that could undermine the democratic process and the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process, especially with the BARMM elections just a few weeks away.
