The first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections will push through as scheduled on Oct. 13, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Friday.

“To our public, to the people in the Bangsamoro, tuloy na tuloy po ang October 13 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (the Oct. 13 BPE will push through). The Comelec will proceed with the conduct of the election and that is very, very clear,” Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia said during the Stakeholders’ Briefing at the Palacio del Gobernador in Manila.

He assured the Bangsamoro people that the polls would be conducted in a free, fair, honest, credible, transparent, safe, and peaceful manner.

He also announced plans to reposition certain forces of its deputized law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Marines, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard as part of peacekeeping operations during the BPE to neutralize any armed groups aiming to disrupt the elections.

Garcia called on the Bangsamoro people to exercise their constitutional right of suffrage and vote for the members of the First Bangsamoro Parliament in October.

“This is part of your right. This is part of your freedom. This is a historical election for the people in the Bangsamoro Region. Ito na ang ‘Bagong Simula ng Bagong Bangsamoro’ (This will be the new beginning of the New Bangsamoro),” he said.

The poll body earlier said they are looking to start the printing of more than 2 million official ballots in August. (PNA)