BULUAN, Maguindanao del Sur — Security forces, election officials, local government units and other government stakeholders in Maguindanao del Sur have intensified preparations for the September 14, 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections as they moved to strengthen inter-agency coordination and prevent violence and other threats that could disrupt the historic polls.
The Joint COMELEC-AFP-PNP and partner agencies convened the 2nd Provincial Joint Security Control Center (PJSCC) Coordinating Conference on August 24 at the Yellow Building Training Center inside the Rajah Buayan Silongan Compound in Buluan, bringing together key commanders, police officials, election officers, local government representatives and other stakeholders to synchronize security plans across the province.
The conference was spearheaded by Atty. Allan C. Kadon, Provincial Election Director of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in Maguindanao del Sur, with the participation of Brig. Gen. Ricky P. Bunayog, Acting Commander of the 6th Infantry Division/Joint Task Force Central; Brig. Gen. Gremel B. Brual, commander of the 601st Infantry Brigade; Brig. Gen. Omar V. Orozco, commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade; and Col. Glenn Loreto T. Caballero, representing the 603rd Infantry Brigade.
Also present were Police Col. Michael John C. Mangahis, Provincial Director of the Maguindanao del Sur Police Provincial Office (MDSPPO), chiefs of police from municipalities across the province, officials from the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) led by Hadja Alma M. Abdullah-Nor, PhD., local government representatives, AFP field commanders, and members of the PJSCC coordinating team.
Security plans put under scrutiny
The participants reviewed the province’s latest security situation, election preparedness measures, deployment plans and contingency arrangements, with particular emphasis on maintaining peace and order before, during and after election day.
The MDSPPO, under Mangahis, presented security updates and operational preparations aimed at ensuring adequate police presence and rapid response capability in areas identified as requiring heightened attention.
The coordinated planning also seeks to ensure that security personnel assigned to polling centers and other election-related areas are properly positioned and prepared to respond to possible incidents while protecting voters, election workers and other personnel.
The conference underscored the importance of continuous information-sharing among COMELEC, the AFP, PNP, LGUs and other agencies, particularly in identifying potential threats early and ensuring that incidents are immediately reported and acted upon.
With the parliamentary elections marking a significant milestone for the Bangsamoro region, security officials emphasized the need for a coordinated approach to prevent violence and preserve public confidence in the electoral process.
6ID pledges full support
In his message, Bunayog reaffirmed the commitment of the 6th Infantry Division and its subordinate units to work closely with COMELEC, the PNP and other law enforcement agencies in securing the first BARMM Parliamentary Elections.
“Rest assured that the 6th Infantry Division extends its full support to COMELEC for this historic election. We must remain proactive,” Bunayog said.
He also urged the public and stakeholders on the ground to immediately report suspicious activities or information that could pose a threat to the elections.
“If you receive information from the ground or notice any suspicious activity during the election period, do not hesitate to report it to the authorities so that immediate action can be taken to ensure a peaceful and orderly parliamentary election,” he added.
The statement reflects the security sector’s emphasis on preventive action rather than waiting for threats to escalate, particularly in communities where timely information could be critical to preventing election-related incidents.
COMELEC calls for sustained coordination
Kadon, meanwhile, thanked the AFP and PNP for their continuing support and stressed the need to maintain close coordination among all agencies involved in election security.
He called for continuous communication and sustained collaboration so that any incident arising during the election period can be promptly assessed, addressed and acted upon by the appropriate authorities.
The PJSCC conference served as a major coordination platform for synchronizing election security strategies across Maguindanao del Sur, ensuring that the different agencies involved in the electoral process operate under a unified security framework.
As September 14 draws closer, the province’s security forces and election stakeholders are expected to maintain heightened coordination and operational readiness. Their collective objective is clear: to protect the people’s right to vote, safeguard election personnel and voting centers, and ensure that the historic first BARMM Parliamentary Elections proceed in an atmosphere of peace, order, fairness and security.
The gathering also reinforced the message that election security is not the responsibility of a single agency but a shared undertaking among COMELEC, the AFP, PNP, local governments and communities across Maguindanao del Sur.