PAGADIAN CITY – The Philippine Army (PA) has ramped up security in the Bangsamoro region with the deployment of three more battalions in the past two days, with another battalion expected to arrive before the Sept. 14 historic parliamentary elections.
During Monday’s celebration of National Heroes Day, the 1st Infantry “Tabak” Division (1ID), based in Labangan, Zamboanga del Sur, sent off two additional provisional battalions to Lanao del Sur to bolster security preparations in the province where 21 of its localities had been placed under Red category, or those with serious threats and a history of election-related violence.
As of July 29, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) placed 26 towns across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) under the Red category for the upcoming polls.
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Two towns in Maguindanao del Sur and one each in Maguindanao del Norte, Basilan and the Special Geographic Area are in the same list.
During the deployment ceremony, Maj. Gen. Yegor Rey Barroquillo Jr., 1ID commander, reminded the troops to uphold professionalism, discipline, impartiality, and respect for voters’ rights.
“Our mission is to secure an environment where citizens can freely exercise their democratic right without fear, intimidation, or disruption,” he said.
The fresh deployment brings to 10 the number of Philippine Army battalions now stationed in Lanao del Sur.
These forces are supported by armor and field artillery units.
The 3rd Special Forces Battalion is expected to arrive before polling day to further strengthen security in Lanao del Sur for the historic Bangsamoro polls.
Last Sunday, the Davao de Oro-based 10th Infantry Division, headed by Maj. Gen. Alvin Luzon, deployed 395 soldiers, about the size of one battalion, to Maguindanao del Sur and Basilan also in line with the security measures for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections,
Barroquillo emphasized that the activation of the provisional battalions for Lanao del Sur was intended to provide additional personnel “to ensure a free, orderly, honest, and peaceful conduct of the BARMM elections.”
Maj. Noelio Brigole, 1ID spokesperson, told the Inquirer that the two provisional battalions were specifically formed to help enhance security for the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls.
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“These are composite units drawn from headquarters and battalions outside Lanao (del Sur). After the elections, they will be returned to their respective units,” Brigole explained.
He added that not all battalions currently in Lanao del Sur are from the Tabak Division.
Aside from the two provisional battalions, the augmentation forces in Lanao del Sur included the 28th Infantry Battalion, 1st Scout Ranger Battalion, and the 4th and 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalions under the 2nd Mechanized Brigade of the Armor Division.
All deployed units would coordinate with the Comelec, the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other concerned agencies to help ensure an orderly electoral process, according to Tabak Division.
The Philippine Army earlier said it would deploy around 10,000 personnel across BARMM for its first regional elections. /mr
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