CAMP SIONGCO, Awang, Maguindanao del Norte — As the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) prepares for its first-ever parliamentary elections on October 13, 2025, the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and government peace panels have joined forces to ensure the polls are peaceful, orderly, and credible.
On August 15, government and MILF representatives signed new guidelines for mutual understanding through their Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Action Groups (AHJAG) in Cotabato City. The event also launched the GPH-MILF Peace Mechanism Quick Response Team (QRT), which will serve as a frontline safeguard against election-related violence.
“This is more than a ceasefire agreement—it is a pledge to protect peace and democracy. Through mutual trust and cooperation, we are making history together,” said Major General Donald M. Gumiran, Commander of the 6ID and Joint Task Force Central (JTFC).
He emphasized that the QRT and the signed guidelines provide a proactive framework to maintain peace and stability, ensuring that the first parliamentary elections in BARMM reflect the will of its people.
Senior officials from the Government of the Philippines, MILF, and the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) BARMM signed and witnessed the agreement. Among them were PA Cesar B. Yano, Chair of the Government Peace Implementing Panel; Police Maj. Gen. Romaldo G. Bayting, Chairman of GPH-AHJAG; Brig. Gen. Patricio Ruben P. Amata, Chairman of GPH-CCCH and Assistant Division Commander of 6ID; MP Butch P. Malang, Chairman of MILF-CCCH; Director Anwar P. Alamada, Chairman of MILF-AHJAG; Maj. Gen. Francisco Ariel A. Felicidario III (Ret.), Co-Chair of GPH-JPSC; Minister Abunawas S. Maslamama, also known as Hon. Von Alhaq, Co-Chair of MILF-JPSC and MAFAR-BARMM; and Atty. Muamar A. Guyo, Provincial Election Supervisor of Maguindanao del Norte, representing BARMM-COMELEC Regional Director Atty. Ray Sumalipao.
Military, police, and other security sector representatives were also present.
“Our collaboration today lays the foundation for a peaceful tomorrow. This is a shared victory for all who believe in lasting peace,” Maj. Gen. Gumiran added.
The October 13 elections will be the first parliamentary vote in the Bangsamoro region since the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2019, a landmark in the peace process that ended decades of armed conflict. The successful conduct of the polls is seen as a vital step in strengthening self-governance, democratic participation, and long-term stability in Muslim Mindanao.
With the historic elections approaching, the joint initiative between the government, MILF, and security forces stands as a symbol of unity — proving that peace and democracy can move forward hand in hand in the Bangsamoro homeland.