Manila, Sept. 18 -- Philippine National Police (PNP) acting chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Thursday ordered intensified security preparations for the inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) set on Oct. 13.

This is despite the Commission on Elections' suspension of preparations for the polls after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order halting the implementation of a regional law that reallocated seven parliamentary seats originally assigned to Sulu province.

The high court, in a 2024 ruling, declared that Sulu is not part of the BARMM.

Nartatez assured the public that the PNP is committed to preventing election-related violence, particularly in histo...