ZAMBOANGA CITY – Maj. Gen. Steve Crespillo, the Commander of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), expressed his appreciation for the military troops, partner agencies, and stakeholders for their effective collaboration, leading to the successful Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) held on Monday, October 30, 2023.
According to Maj. Gen. Crespillo, the BSKE in the provinces falling under the jurisdiction of WestMinCom generally transpired peacefully, with no major election-related incidents reported. Despite a few isolated issues, the electoral process concluded without evidence of significant election failures, particularly in the election hotspots within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and other provinces under WestMinCom’s purview.
By 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, vote canvassing in polling centers within the area of operations of Joint Task Forces Orion, ZamPeLan, Central, Zamboanga, and Tawi-Tawi was 100% complete. All election materials from polling sites had been retrieved and safely delivered to their respective hubs.
With the successful conclusion of the electoral process, the election monitoring centers in all joint task forces were deactivated, and deployed troops were directed to return to their respective stations.
Maj. Gen. Crespillo praised the military personnel for their hard work and dedication in fulfilling their mission, which included ensuring the safety of the electoral board, voters, and political candidates. They also played a key role in facilitating an honest, orderly, and peaceful election.
He extended his gratitude to the partners and stakeholders whose collaborative efforts contributed to the success of the 2023 BSKE.
“The favorable outcome of the electoral process underscores the importance of collaboration in achieving success. Let us, therefore, continue to work together to attain further successes and foster lasting peace and sustainable development in Mindanao,” Maj. Gen. Crespillo emphasized.
