MANILA – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is targeting the completion Tuesday of the deployment of ballots, automated counting machines (ACMs) and other election paraphernalia for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections (BPE) scheduled on Sept. 14.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said Monday that election materials were already being transported from the deployment hub to municipalities across the region.

“Deployment from the hub to the municipalities is currently underway, with ballots being delivered to city treasurers and other election paraphernalia being transported to local Comelec offices,” Garcia said in an interview at the poll body’s main office.

Garcia said the poll body also plans to conduct the final testing and sealing of ACMs on Sept. 12, two days before the elections, across all 5,212 precincts in BARMM.

“We aim to complete distribution to the municipalities before Sept. 8 so that election officers and teachers are ready for the final testing and sealing—scheduled for Sept. 12 across all 5,212 precincts in the Bangsamoro,” he said.

On the region’s peace and order situation, Garcia said the overall security environment should not be judged based on a single election-related incident, referring to the Aug. 15 attack against BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua.

“Regarding peace and order, one shouldn’t judge the situation solely by a single election-related incident; however, regardless of what anyone says, that incident—especially involving the interim chief minister—does not mean that it is not peaceful in the area,” he said.

Garcia said only one incident had been recorded across the Bangsamoro but stressed the importance of sufficient security deployment before, during and after election day.

“While the statistics show there was only one incident across the entire Bangsamoro—a fact we are proud of—that alone is not enough. Proper deployment of forces is essential to ensure the election proceeds smoothly from now until the actual voting day and through to the conclusion of the electoral process,” he said.

Meanwhile, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco expressed hope that voter turnout in the BPE would reach at least 80 percent, similar to the turnout recorded during the May 2025 midterm elections.

BARMM recorded one of the highest voter turnout rates in the previous elections, at about 84 to 86 percent, Laudiangco said.

He said Comelec launched an extensive voter education campaign in July to prepare voters for the region’s first parliamentary elections.

“That is why we launched an extensive voter education program starting in July; we are explaining the significance of this election, who is eligible to vote, the voting process, and—most importantly—the impact it will have on their lives. This is a historic first, representing the fruition of the peace process and establishing the mandate for the eighty members who will sit in the parliament,” he said at the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon public briefing Monday.

Laudiangco said the poll body observed strong interest in the elections during its voter education activities in barangays and city centers.

“We truly expect our fellow citizens to participate, as we observed high levels of interest while visiting various barangays and city centers. We hope that on Sept. 14, our people will come out to vote and that we can push the voter turnout in BARMM even higher—surpassing the 80 percent mark,” he added. (PNA)