The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in Basilan is ready for next week’s Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election (BPE), with 248,245 registered voters set to cast their ballots in the province.
Lawyer Miguel Roberto Dela Peña, acting as Basilan provincial election supervisor, said they enhanced operational, logistical, and security preparations in coordination with police, military, local government units (LGUs), and stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, orderly, and credible election.
“Comelec is prepared for the Sept. 14 election,” Dela Peña said, adding that the poll body’s priority is to ensure a peaceful, orderly and credible election, and allow every registered voter to exercise the right to vote safely.
Based on the consolidated Project of Precinct (POP)–Regular Level as of April 21, Basilan has 210 barangays, 1,571 established precincts, 534 clustered precincts, and 189 voting centers.
Dela Peña said Lamitan City has the biggest voter population among the areas covered by the parliamentary election, with 56,042 registered voters.
It is followed by Maluso with 32,121, Sumisip (27,727) and Lantawan (22,610).
Dela Peña said Comelec is also finalizing the deployment of election personnel, materials, and logistics to ensure efficient voting and protect electoral integrity.
The BPE will mark a significant step in the electoral process of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), with voters across the region choosing their representatives under the parliamentary system.
Meanwhile, Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman, together with the mayors of Basilan, military, police, election officials, and Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders, led the signing of the Pledge of Commitment on Monday in support of peaceful and orderly BARMM parliamentary polls.
The activity demonstrated the commitment of local leaders and security forces to uphold peace, security, and the integrity of the elections across Basilan.
As this developed, more than 700 policemen are expected to arrive in Basilan on Tuesday as part of security augmentation for the upcoming BPE.
Col. Edison Dumangas, Basilan police director, said the additional personnel will come from Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) and other police support units.
Dumangas said the augmentation force will help strengthen security operations across the province, particularly in island municipalities and voting centers requiring additional police presence, during the polls.
The additional policemen will also be part of the contingency force and may be assigned to serve as members of Special Electoral Boards (SEBs) in polling areas where teachers or other designated electoral board members cannot perform their duties on election day.
Dela Peña said over 100 policemen are set to serve as members of SEBs in Lamitan City and the municipalities of Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan.
Lamitan has been placed under the orange category, or an area of concern, due to election-related security considerations, while Al-Barka and Ungkaya Pukan are also among the areas requiring heightened attention based on prior election-related concerns.
The SEBs will carry out election-day duties in assigned polling places and help ensure continuity of voting operations despite possible security or operational challenges. (PNA)