BARMM sends cops, soldiers too, for poll security duties

PARANG, Maguindanao - The Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PRO BAR) together with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Department of Education (DepEd), and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) formally sent off troops who will secure the polls this May 9, 2022 at the PRO BAR Grandstand in Camp Salipada K Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao on May 4, 2022.

The COMELEC BARMM spearheaded the send-off ceremony in collaboration with the PRO BAR and AFP who are deputized agencies that will perform various tasks to ensure the peaceful and successful 2022 elections.

Present during the event were Atty. Ray F. Sumalipao, Regional Election Director, COMELEC BARMM; PMGen Eden T Ugale, Deputy Commander, Area Police Command - Western Mindanao; BGen Eduardo B Gubat, Deputy Division Commander, 6th Infantry Division, Philippine Army; Colonel Eric A Macaambac, Brigade Commander, 1st Marine Brigade; CG Capt Rejard V Marfe, Commander, Coast Guard Division BARMM; and Deputy Minister Haron Meling, Ministry of Basic Higher and Technical Education.

PRO BAR deployed a total of 6,347 PNP Personnel that will secure the 1,195 Polling Centers; five (5) Provincial Treasurer’s Office; 119 city and municipal treasurer’s office; 120 COMELEC Offices; and 86 canvassing areas.

Said deployment includes 706 Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) personnel to be deployed in Lanao Del Sur and Maguindanao. There are also 405 Quick Reactionary Force (QRF) personnel on standby, ready to be deployed anytime in case of emergency cases.

The RMFB 14 personnel will also reinforce Lanao Del Sur, Maguindanao, and Cotabato City, while Personnel from RMFB BASULTA will be deployed in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

To supplement the 1,166 trained Electoral Board of Inspectors requested by COMELEC, PRO BAR trained a total of 2,516 Special Electoral Board of Inspectors ready to serve as replacement for the teachers who will back out on the day of election.

Also, through series of meeting with the AFP counterparts, 19 companies with 2,846 AFP personnel will be deployed region wide. The deployment may increase depending on the security situation on the ground.

Police Brigadier General Arthur R Cabalona, Regional Director, PRO BAR, gave emphasis to the important and crucial role of the security forces in the conduct of the upcoming elections.

“We need to ensure that the registered voters will be free to vote for their candidates that during the process, they feel safe, secure, and protected”, PBGen Cabalona said.

Meanwhile, Atty. Ray F. Sumalipao, Regional Election Director, COMELEC BARMM, emphasized the two vital roles of the PNP during the elections, one of which is to act as security personnel and the other one is to act as special members of the electoral board.