COTABATO CITY (August 18) – As part of preparations to guarantee peace during the October 13 parliamentary election, police have began carrying out a Commission on Elections (Comelec) order prohibiting the transit and possession of firearms, explosives, and ammunition.
According to Col. Jibin Bongcayao, the city’s police director, all entry and exit points in the city are monitored by joint police, Army, and Marine personnel stationed at checkpoints. On Thursday, the election gun prohibition went into effect throughout the region.
The first BARMM parliamentary elections will take place from August 14 to October 28 in the provinces of Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi, as well as the cities within them, and in BARMM’s eight new municipalities known as the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in North Cotabato.
Bongcayao also briefed reporters about the stringent enforcement of COMELEC Resolution No.11149, which applies to all, including AFP and PNP uniformed personnel. Police checkpoints have also been set up throughout BARMM in preparation for the upcoming elections, in which voters will elect 80 members of the Bangsamoro Parliament.
Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, BARMM police regional director, stated that the security sector will conduct weekly reviews and assessments throughout the region to identify any dangers to the voting process.
