ISABELA CITY (September 7) — More than 100 Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel will serve as members of the Special Electoral Board (SEB) in Lamitan City, Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan during the Sept. 14 parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The deployment is part of contingency measures being put in place in areas considered vulnerable to election-related security threats, Basilan provincial election supervisor officer in charge Miguel Roberto dela Peña said Friday.
He said the measure aims to keep voting orderly and uninterrupted and ensure that registered voters can exercise their right to vote safely.
“Our priority is to ensure that the elections in these areas are peaceful, orderly and credible,” dela Peña said.
“The deployment of PNP personnel as Special Electoral Board members is part of our contingency measures to make sure that the voting process will continue without disruption,” he added.
Protecting the right to vote
Lamitan City has been classified under the orange category as an area of concern because of potential election-related security threats, while Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan have also been identified as areas requiring heightened security attention.
For voters in these communities, however, heightened security must ultimately translate into something simple but fundamental: the ability to reach polling places, cast their ballots freely and safely, and have their votes properly counted.
This is particularly important in communities where fear or insecurity could discourage voters from participating.
The involvement of police personnel in electoral duties is intended to provide continuity should security or logistical problems threaten voting operations.
Deputized personnel will perform assigned election-day functions inside polling places as part of the SEB, according to election officials.
Security and public trust
The deployment also places a premium on how security measures are implemented.
While protecting polling places from violence is essential, authorities face the parallel challenge of ensuring that the presence of armed personnel does not intimidate voters or interfere with the independence of election workers.
A peaceful election is not defined simply by the absence of violence.
It also requires that voters are able to participate freely, without coercion or intimidation, and that election personnel can perform their duties impartially.
This makes coordination among the Commission on Elections (Comelec), PNP, military and local authorities critical as election day approaches.
Local election officials and security forces are continuing coordination meetings to finalize deployment and contingency arrangements for the three areas.
Comelec Basilan is also expected to complete the briefing and orientation of deputized PNP personnel before election day.
A test of BARMM’s democratic transition
The Sept. 14 parliamentary elections represent an important stage in the political transition of the BARMM.
For communities in Basilan and other areas facing security concerns, the credibility of the polls will depend not only on preparations inside polling stations but also on whether ordinary voters feel safe enough to participate.
Authorities therefore face a dual responsibility: protect the electoral process from violence while protecting voters from fear and intimidation.
The success of the security plan will ultimately be measured not by the number of personnel deployed, but by whether voters in Lamitan, Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan are able to exercise their democratic rights peacefully, freely and without disruption.
