Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. on Tuesday commended all police personnel for their hard work, dedication and sacrifices in implementing security measures that led to the successful conduct of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Nartatez was particularly proud of how PNP forces responded to and stood their ground despite cases of gun violence, improvised explosive device (IED)-related incidents and threats from armed groups just to make sure that the tasks given to them were properly and strictly implemented.
“While there are pockets of security challenges, the BARMM elections were peaceful and orderly in almost all parts of the region. And we attribute this to the dedication and hard work of not only our personnel but all our partners that include the AFP and the Comelec,” Nartatez said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The long security preparations, including real-time security adjustments on the ground, paid off but the mission is not yet fully completed as we have to maintain peace and order until the winners are proclaimed and until the last day of the election period,” he added.
This is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla to ensure the peaceful conduct of the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, protect voters and maintain public safety before, during and after the electoral exercise.
The PNP recorded 14 violent incidents with three civilian fatalities and 23 injured individuals, including three police personnel during the conduct of the polls.
In Cotabato City, two shooting incidents were recorded with three deaths while 18 individuals were wounded.
Two explosion incidents also happened in Cotabato City, particularly in Kalanganan and Poblacion 7 villages.
The man carrying the explosive device was the sole victim in the Kalanganan incident.
The PNP said a strafing incident and malicious mischief case were also recorded in Cotabato City.
Other incidents were recorded in Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Special Geographic Area (SGA) BARMM and Maguindanao del Norte, with no fatalities.
The PNP said 38 firearms and explosives were confiscated in the region during the conduct of 24 operations, which also resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals amid the gun ban which started on July 16.
Cotabato City and Maluso, Basilan were later placed under Commission on Elections (Comelec) control following the security incidents. Maluso was also affected by the discovery of pre-shaded ballots, prompting the Comelec to send 16,563 reprinted ballots to 36 precincts.
Nartatez said police immediately responded to reported incidents and adjusted its deployment where necessary to keep voters safe and prevent further violence.
“Our personnel immediately responded to these incidents, adjusted our deployment where necessary, and worked closely with Comelec and our security partners to prevent further escalation and protect the electorate,” Nartatez said.
Aside from continuously implementing security measures, Nartatez said he already ordered a thorough investigation, pursuit operations and case buildup in all the incidents that happened.
“We commend the people of BARMM for exercising their right to vote despite the challenges encountered during the elections. Their participation demonstrates their commitment to the democratic process and to building a peaceful Bangsamoro,” he said.
The PNP continues to coordinate with concerned authorities and maintain appropriate security coverage in areas where transmission, counting, return of election paraphernalia and canvassing remain ongoing. Police units are also sustaining monitoring to ensure that emerging concerns are addressed promptly and that the remaining activities proceed in an orderly manner.
“The voting may be winding down, but our responsibility does not end there. We are keeping our personnel engaged and our lines of coordination open until the remaining election activities are completed. Dito tayo kailangang (We should be) steady—alert, coordinated, and ready to respond when needed,” Nartatez said.
Meanwhile, in a press conference, PNP spokesperson Col. Allen Rae Co said no other significant untoward incidents have been reported.
“Overall, the election was generally peaceful and orderly despite some isolated incidents,” he told reporters.
Co said the voter turnout reached 82.41 percent, higher by 4.79 percentage points than the 77.62 percent turnout recorded in BARMM during the May 2025 midterm elections. (PNA)