Jamaine Punzalan

Residents in Sultan Kudarat look for their names from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) list of voters for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite at the Simuay Junction Crossing Elementary School,  January 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Karen De Guzman

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178781917342020190121-cotabato-plebiscite-JC-7283.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Residents in Sultan Kudarat look for their names from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) list of voters for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite at the Simuay Junction Crossing Elementary School,  January 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) is continuing to monitor and adjust its security measures on the ground in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to prevent any group or individual from influencing or compromising the region’s first parliamentary elections on September 14.</p><p>PNP chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the security situation in BARMM remained stable, but authorities were keeping a close watch on developments as the elections drew near.</p><p>“We do not downplay the fact that one election-related incident was recorded in BARMM. But we want to assure the public that the police remain in control in ensuring peace and order in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary elections,” Nartatez said in a statement. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/17/blast-before-ambush-on-barmm-chief-minister-s-convoy-possibly-linked-pnp-1512">Blast before ambush on BARMM chief minister&#x27;s convoy possibly linked - PNP</a></div><p>The PNP continues to coordinate with the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other stakeholders to validate reports of incidents in the region in recent weeks.</p><p>Nartatez said no serious security threat has so far been monitored, noting that almost all reported incidents were found to be linked to other motives and did not indicate a major threat to the elections.</p><p>Still, police units in BARMM have been placed on heightened alert, with patrols, checkpoints and police visibility set to be intensified in communities.</p><p>“What we are standing for is the protection of the sanctity of this democratic process and the right of every voter to freely choose their leaders,” Nartatez said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/24/comelec-more-than-24-000-checkpoints-put-up-across-barmm-1811">More than 24000 checkpoints put up across BARMM</a></div><p>The PNP is also enforcing the election gun ban as part of efforts to prevent violence.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:560px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:441px;height:249px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=2092832364594700453&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2026-08-27T09%3A23%3A40.353841%3A6d19cbb9-3876-42bf-801c-4843ae7a7d10%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=40d707fd88ba6819dba0f91a73955570325e08f9&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="2092832364594700453"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><p>PNP Public Information Office (PIO) chief PCol. Allen Rae Co said contingency plans were in place should the security situation change.</p><p>The PNP and AFP are also validating areas that may be classified as election hotspots or areas of concern. </p><p>Co said the list would be released by the Comelec once the areas have undergone proper verification and validation.</p><p>“Lahat naman ng ganito, tinitingnan natin if there are really threats or anything that will hinder the conduct of a peaceful election. We are ready for any eventuality,” Co said in a press briefing. </p><p>Around 5,000 additional police personnel will be deployed to BARMM for the elections, while 1,368 PNP personnel will serve as special electoral board members in areas where there are not enough teachers or other qualified personnel to perform the function.</p><p>“They will be under the control of the Comelec as far as their functions as the special electoral board is concerned,” Co said. </p><p>The police personnel assigned as special electoral board members have undergone training and orientation by the Comelec and will be under the poll body’s control while performing their electoral duties.</p><div><strong>POLL PREPS 98% COMPLETE</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said preparations for the September 14 elections were 98 percent complete, leaving only “fine-tuning” and adjustments for possible changes in the situation.</p><p>Remulla issued a stern warning to police officers deployed for the polls, saying they would be held accountable for any violence during the elections.</p><p>“I will hold each and every police officer here accountable; that if any violence happens in this coming elections, you will be accountable to me and to the Chief PNP,” Remulla said.</p><p>He also urged Bangsamoro voters to carefully choose their leaders, saying the outcome of the elections would shape the future of the region.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/8/26/officials-hold-final-command-conference-stakeholders-meeting-for-barmm-elections-1759">Officials hold final command conference, stakeholders&#x27; meeting for BARMM elections </a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_WsFGT4qMk4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The Philippine National Police (PNP) is continuing to monitor and adjust its security measures on the ground in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to prevent any group or individual from influencing or compromising the region’s first parliamentary elections on September 14.</p>

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is continuing to monitor and adjust its security measures on the ground in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to prevent any group or individual from influencing or compromising the region’s first parliamentary elections on September 14.

PNP tightens Bangsamoro security to prevent attempts to compromise Sept. 14 polls

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PNP tightens Bangsamoro security to prevent attempts to compromise Sept. 14 polls

Karen De Guzman,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 27, 2026 04:29 PM PHT

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Bangsamoro elections

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