MAGUINDANAO (September 8) — The Armed Forces of the Philippines have been instructed by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. to guarantee the safety and integrity of the October Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
During a command conference at the Army’s 6ID headquarters in Maguindanao del Norte on Saturday, Teodoro gave the order to Maj. Gen. Donald Gumiran, the commander of the 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central, along with other senior officers.
He emphasized that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) election “is a milestone in the democratic journey.”
Teodoro emphasized the value of nonpartisanship and asked the military to make sure that there is no political meddling in the vote so that the people’s voice can be heard in a calm and credible manner.
Gumiran gave Teodoro his word that the 6ID and the task force would be prepared and committed to defending the BARMM people’s right to elect leaders in a safe setting.
Teodoro was joined at the command conference by Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the head of the Armed Forces; Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, the head of the Army; Brig. Gen. Romulo Quemado II, the acting head of Western Mindanao Command; and Maj. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., the head of the 1st Infantry Division.
