Photo: 10th Infantry “Agila” Division, Philippine Army
MANILA (August 12) — More than 500 elite soldiers are heading to Maguindanao to help protect voters and polling areas as the Bangsamoro region prepares for its first parliamentary elections.
The Philippine Army has deployed 561 personnel under Task Force 92, a specialized combined-arms unit tasked with supporting security operations ahead of the 2026 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections.
The troops were sent off Aug. 5 at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija and will initially operate under the 602nd Infantry Brigade of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division.
Army deputy spokesperson Col. Jose Regonay Jr. said Task Force 92 was organized by the Army’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, bringing together troops with different specialized capabilities.
Led by Lt. Col. Anacito Naz, the task force includes infantry, military intelligence, mortar, explosive ordnance disposal, K9, civil-military operations, combat engineering and sustainment units.
Their job is not limited to guarding election facilities.
The task force will conduct security operations within the Joint Task Force Central–Joint Area of Operations while also working with communities and government agencies.
Regonay said the goal is to help create conditions where Bangsamoro voters can exercise their right to vote freely, safely and without threats or intimidation.
For voters in communities that have experienced conflict and political tensions, however, election security means more than the presence of armed personnel.
It means being able to travel to polling places safely, make political choices without pressure and return home without fear.
That is the challenge facing security forces as the BARMM elections draw closer: protect the vote without overshadowing the voters themselves.
Task Force 92’s deployment is part of the government’s broader effort to keep the electoral process peaceful and accessible across the Bangsamoro region.
