Authorities flag voter intimidation complaints as BARMM campaign begins

MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) has referred complaints of alleged voter intimidation to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) as campaigning for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections got underway, with the presidential peace adviser warning political groups against armed campaigning.

Opapru Secretary Mel Sarmiento said on Friday his office received reports of individuals wearing uniforms, carrying firearms and allegedly displaying campaign materials, prompting it to raise the matter with Comelec.

“We relayed these complaints to Comelec,” Sarmiento said in a press briefing in Pasig City.

He said the Comelec told the Opapru it could issue show-cause orders against violators and warned political parties that breaches of election rules could even lead to disqualification.

“You can’t campaign while carrying a long-arm (gun)” Sarmiento said in a mix of English and Filipino. “Voters should not be intimidated.”

He added that the same election rules apply in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as elsewhere in the country.

Sarmiento said ensuring voters can freely choose their candidates was among President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directives to security forces ahead of the Sept. 14 BARMM parliamentary elections.

He said the Opapru has asked the Comelec to allow some of its officials to observe operations at the poll body’s command center and has been coordinating with media organizations, civil society groups and youth organizations on voter education and election monitoring.

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Sarmiento also welcomed Comelec’s partnership with Mindanao State University, which will mobilize students and faculty members for voter education, calling young people an important force in promoting peaceful elections.

Despite the complaints, Sarmiento said the first day of the campaign period, which began Thursday, had been generally peaceful.

He said security forces have been able to focus on the BARMM because the elections are limited to its five provinces, allowing authorities to concentrate resources.

Sarmiento also praised the Joint Peace and Security Teams (JPST), which bring together personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front under the Bangsamoro peace process. 

The teams help secure the elections by monitoring potential hotspots, conducting joint security operations and coordinating efforts to prevent election-related violence.

While he declined to identify specific areas under monitoring, Sarmiento acknowledged that some locations have historically experienced election-related violence.

“It is better for security measures to be proactive to prevent potential issues,” he said.

The first BARMM parliamentary elections are scheduled on Sept. 14. /jpv