Days after the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections, security forces and government agencies came together for a formal assessment of how peace and order operations were conducted — meeting at Headquarters 6th Infantry Division, Camp Siongco, in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, on September 16, 2026.
The gathering was organized to take stock of what went right, identify areas for improvement, and capture lessons that could sharpen electoral security planning in future polls. The review was led by the Armed Forces of the Philippines Peace and Development Office (AFPPDO) in close coordination with the 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division (6ID) and a broad coalition of partner government agencies.
Top Military and AFP Officials Helm the Assessment
According to a statement from the 6th Infantry Division, the multi-agency review was headed by Brig. Gen. Ricky P. Bunayog, who serves as Acting Division Commander of 6ID and Joint Task Force (JTF) Central. He was joined by Col. Alvin G. Iyog, Chief of the AFP Peace and Development Office, along with their respective staff officers.
The session drew representatives from a wide range of government bodies, including the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), the Peace and Development Office, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC), and the Joint Peace and Security Team, among others.
The 6ID statement said deliberations focused on three core areas: inter-agency coordination mechanisms, security planning protocols, and operational adjustments that could be applied to future electoral exercises in the region.
Bunayog Recognizes Ground-Level Efforts of Deployed Personnel
Brig. Gen. Bunayog used the occasion to extend his appreciation to the wide network of security forces, government agencies, local government units, and partner organizations whose collective work helped keep communities stable throughout the voting period.
"The successful conduct of the elections reflected what agencies can achieve when they work together with a shared commitment to peace, public safety, and the democratic process," Bunayog was quoted as saying in the 6ID statement.
He specifically highlighted the performance of personnel deployed on the ground during the elections, noting their readiness, prompt response to developing situations, and effective coordination with counterparts. The 6ID statement credited these qualities with preventing security incidents that could have undermined voters' ability to freely participate in the parliamentary polls.
6ID and JTF Central Reaffirm Apolitical, Professional Mandate
With the post-election period now underway, both 6ID and JTF Central made clear that their operational posture remains unchanged: apolitical, professional, and responsive to the needs of communities in their area of responsibility.
The 6ID statement outlined that the division will sustain monitoring of the security environment across Central and South-Central Mindanao, remain alert to emerging threats or concerns, and systematically apply the lessons drawn from the BARMM parliamentary election cycle to strengthen community protection efforts going forward.
The commitment signals that the military and its partner agencies view the post-election window not as a period of reduced vigilance, but as a continuation of their mandate to uphold peace and stability in the Bangsamoro region.
Broad Coalition of Agencies Demonstrates Whole-of-Government Approach
The sheer number of agencies represented at the Camp Siongco assessment reflects what officials have described as a whole-of-government approach to securing elections in the BARMM — a region that has historically required intensive coordination between military, police, civilian, and peace-building institutions.
By convening civilian and uniformed agencies in a structured review, the AFPPDO and 6ID demonstrated an institutional commitment to learning from each electoral exercise rather than treating security operations as a one-time deployment. The participation of bodies like OPAPRU and NTF-ELCAC alongside the PNP and the Philippine Air Force illustrated the layered, cross-institutional framework that underpinned security arrangements during the parliamentary elections, according to the 6ID statement.
Officials noted that inter-agency coordination — not just individual unit performance — was central to the relatively stable conduct of the polls, and that this lesson would be carried forward into planning for future electoral events in the region.
Why This Matters
The post-election security review at Camp Siongco underscores how critical sustained, multi-agency coordination is to protecting democratic participation in the BARMM, a region with a historically complex security environment. By institutionalizing a structured lessons-learned process after the parliamentary elections, the AFP and its partner agencies are working to build more resilient and effective electoral security frameworks rather than starting fresh with each new poll. The declared commitment of 6ID and JTF Central to remain professional and apolitical during the sensitive post-election period is designed to reinforce public trust and deter any attempt to exploit political transitions as opportunities for instability.
Source: 6th Infantry Division, Armed Forces of the Philippines