COTABATO CITY (August 11) — As Maguindanao del Norte prepares for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, the Philippine Army is putting a blunt message before candidates and political parties: win votes, not through violence, but through a peaceful and credible election.
Military authorities in the province urged candidates Monday to respect the rule of law and reject violence as campaigning intensifies for the Sept. 14 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE).
The Army’s 603rd Infantry Brigade has been conducting peace dialogues with candidates, election officials, security forces and other stakeholders in an effort to prevent election-related violence and keep communities safe.
Col. Glenn Loreto T. Caballero, brigade commander, said maintaining peace during the elections is not solely the responsibility of the military or police.
“Together, let us protect the gains we have achieved, respect one another despite our differences, and remain united in building a peaceful, credible, and prosperous Bangsamoro,” Caballero said.
Peace pledges must go beyond ceremonies
Military and police authorities have been organizing candidate forums and peace covenant signings ahead of the polls.
On Sunday, Caballero joined officials of the Philippine Army, Philippine Marine Corps, Commission on Elections and political candidates at a peace covenant signing organized by the 1st Marine Brigade under Brig. Gen. Larry Batalla in Datu Odin Sinsuat.
Such commitments matter in a region where political competition has historically been intertwined with armed conflict, clan rivalries and election-related violence.
But for ordinary voters, the real measure of these pledges will not be the signatures on a covenant.
It will be whether candidates and their supporters respect the rules once the campaign heats up, whether political rivals can move safely around communities, and whether voters can cast their ballots without intimidation.
First parliamentary election faces a crucial test
The Sept. 14 polls carry significance beyond choosing lawmakers.
The election will select members of the Bangsamoro Parliament and help shape the next phase of governance under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
That makes security a critical part of the election—not simply to prevent casualties, but to protect the credibility of the region’s democratic transition.
The Army said the 603rd Infantry Brigade remains committed to supporting efforts that promote peace, protect communities and ensure the safe, orderly, peaceful and credible conduct of the BPE.
The Commission on Elections has also reported that no areas have been classified under the red category, the highest-risk classification, for the upcoming regional parliamentary elections.
While that is an encouraging sign, it does not eliminate the need for vigilance.
Election-related tensions can escalate quickly, particularly in communities where political rivalries overlap with family, clan and local power structures.
Voters are watching
For communities in Maguindanao del Norte, the coming election is ultimately about more than candidates and political parties.
It is about whether the Bangsamoro can demonstrate that political competition does not have to lead to violence—and that disagreements can be settled through ballots rather than guns.
The military can secure polling places. Police can enforce election laws. The COMELEC can administer the vote.
But lasting electoral peace will depend heavily on the candidates themselves.
The challenge now is for political leaders to make their peace pledges visible not only during covenant-signing ceremonies, but in the streets, campaign sorties and communities where voters will make their choices.
For the Bangsamoro’s first parliamentary election, a peaceful campaign is not merely a security objective. It is part of proving that the region’s hard-won peace can withstand political competition.
