The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed 12 municipalities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) under the highest level of concern, more than a month before the region holds its first-ever parliamentary elections on October 13.
Comelec Chairperson George Garcia confirmed Wednesday that these towns were classified under the “red category,” the most serious of the four-tiered Areas of Concern classification system.
“In Basilan, the municipality of Al-Barka is under the red category. There are six in Lanao del Sur and five in Maguindanao del Sur,” Garcia said in a media interview.
The towns flagged include:
- Lanao del Sur: Masiu, Lumba-Bayabao, Poona Bayabao, Tamparan, Taraka, and Mulondo
- Maguindanao del Sur: Paglat, Pandag, Buluan, Datu Paglas, and Mangudadatu
- Basilan: Al-Barka
Despite these classifications, Garcia assured the public that the overall security landscape in the region remains stable.
“So far, the peace and order situation in the Bangsamoro is generally peaceful to this day,” he noted, adding that no municipality has yet been recommended to be placed under Comelec control.
The “red” category typically indicates a heightened risk of election-related violence or security threats due to intense political rivalry, history of violence, or presence of armed groups. However, Garcia stressed that the commission continues to coordinate with security forces to ensure safe and credible elections in BARMM.
The October 13 polls will mark the first time residents of the autonomous region will directly elect members of the Bangsamoro Parliament—an exercise seen as a crucial test of democratic governance and stability in the post-peace agreement era.