THE 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has activated and deployed a composite battalion tasked with safeguarding the upcoming midterm polls on May 12, 2025, in Central Mindanao, the military said Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
The composite battalion comprises of over 400 personnel from the headquarters of the 6ID in Camp Siongco, Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Brigadier General Patricio Ruben Amata, 6ID assistant division commander, has emphasized the crucial role of the troops in ensuring a safe, credible, and honest electoral process.
"As you deploy across various brigades, your role is vital in ensuring that the May 12, 2025 National and Local Elections are peaceful, orderly, and credible," Amata told the troops during the send-off ceremony on Monday, April 28.
"You will be at the forefront of securing an environment where every Filipino in Central Mindanao can exercise their right to vote-freely, without fear, coercion, and with full trust in the electoral process," Amata added.
The deployment of the composite battalion supplements the earlier reinforcements from the 48th Infantry Battalion, the 1st Armor Company of the Armor Division, and the Marine Battalion Landing Team-6, all mobilized to enhance security measures for the elections in Central Mindanao.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has flagged some 109 areas in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) for security concerns.
Of the 109 areas, 30 are marked as high-risk, including 20 in Lanao del Sur, nine in Maguindanao del Sur, and one in Basilan, as of March 29.
Major General Donald Gumiran, 6ID and Joint Task Force (JTF)-Central commander, reminded all deployed personnel to strictly maintain political neutrality.
"We uphold the utmost importance of political neutrality. Our internal monitoring is stringent to ensure that no personnel will engage in partisanship," Gumiran told the troops of the composite battalion.
"Carry out your duty with honor, fairness, and integrity," Gumiran added. (SunStar Zamboanga)