Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. thanked the Philippine National Police (PNP) for its vital role in ensuring the safety and security of voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the May 12 midterm elections.

Galvez conveyed his gratitude to the police force during a courtesy call with Philippine National Police-Peace Process Development Center (PNP-PPDC) officer-in-charge Col. Francisco Ebreo on Wednesday, the peace body said in a news release Thursday.

“First of all, we commend the PNP for your active participation in securing the BARMM for the midterm elections. Please extend our gratitude to PNP Chief (Gen. Rommel Francisco) Marbil,” Galvez told Ebreo.

He noted how the PNP was able to keep the peace, particularly in hotly contested areas that were vulnerable to conflict.

Galvez also highlighted how several police officers went beyond the call of duty to serve as Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs).

Ebreo said Mindanaoans are thankful to the PNP for its peacekeeping work during the political exercise.

“Many expressed their gratitude for the PNP’s presence in the Special Electoral Board (SEB). It made for a more secure election in critical areas,” the PNP official said.

Before the midterm elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) trained over 9,000 police officers and personnel to serve as SEBs. In particular, 3,698 police personnel were also placed on standby to serve as SEBs in the BARMM for the midterm elections.

This was done to ensure peace and security in critical areas where election-related violence was reported or was likely to occur.

Ebreo also shared that Marbil went to Cotabato to personally oversee the PNP’s operations in the city.

Galvez said that “Police Chief Marbil’s hands-on role during the election led to the peaceful resolution of sporadic cases of violence.”

“I believe that PBBM’s (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) decision to extend the tenure of PNP Chief Marbil until after the midterm elections was a truly decisive one,” the OPAPRU chief said.

Galvez also commended the 6th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army under the Western Mindanao Command, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other security forces for effectively containing incidents of election-related violence in the region.

He said the lessons learned from the midterm elections will help the PNP ensure the peaceful, credible, and orderly conduct of the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in October. (PNA)