By Edwin Fernandez/Philippine News Agency
PARANG, Maguindanao — Philippine National Police (PNP) Director, Gen. Oscar Albayalde, has ordered all police officers in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to remain apolitical and ensure “zero violence” in the region come May 13 polls.
Albayalde on Thursday afternoon visited the Police Regional Office – BARMM headquarters here and lauded the office for the generally peaceful conduct of the two-part plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) last January 21 and February.
“You did it during the BOL plebiscite. For sure you can do it again on May 13,” Albayalde told PRO-BARMM men and women, headed by Brig. Gen. Graciano Mijares.
“We are here to see to it that you are all prepared for the 2019 elections,” he told the police officers.
“Let us show the Filipino people that we are all capable of securing and protecting their votes,” he added.
BARMM has been listed by the Commission on Elections as an “area of grave concern” — the highest category of hot spots that requires increased security deployment – for Monday’s elections.
Albayalde said he expects members of PRO-BARMM to perform their duties and ensure that votes are protected.
Mijares said PRO-BARMM deployed a total of 8,000 personnel to priority areas of concern guided by the provisions of the PNP Operational Procedures and the Omnibus Election Code.
Earlier on Thursday, the PNP chief also visited the headquarters of PRO 12 (Soccsksargen) in General Santos City.
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