Local officials from the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) were caught off guard when agents from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) conducted a surprise search operation during a training seminar in General Santos City. The incident took place on Thursday morning while the mayors were attending an orientation session at a local hotel.
According to Mayor Anwar Saluwang of Nabalawag, the officials were in the middle of the orientation when law enforcement personnel suddenly entered the venue. The operatives searched the entire venue, including inspecting the vehicles of the mayors and taking down their license plate numbers. They also entered one of the hotel rooms, further alarming the officials.
Mayor Saluwang stated that there was no prior coordination between the law enforcement agencies and either the officials or the hotel management, leaving them surprised and concerned. When the mayors inquired about the purpose of the search, the operatives only responded that the matter was “confidential.”
BARMM spokesperson Asnin Pendatun confirmed that they are still gathering information on why the NBI and the police conducted the operation. Pendatun stated that the authorities mentioned they were searching for someone, but they did not disclose who they were targeting.
Mayor Saluwang emphasized that some officials present at the seminar have pending legal cases but are currently protected by immunity guarantees or safe conduct passes while awaiting the granting of amnesty. He expressed confusion over why they were subjected to a search operation despite these protections.
The seminar was part of an orientation on the Budget Operation Manual for Local Government Units of Special Geographic Areas, organized by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) and the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and Management of BARMM.
Mayor Saluwang called on law enforcement authorities to ensure proper coordination with the MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) in the future to prevent incidents that could negatively impact the ongoing peace process.
