The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other key security sectors have pledged to ensure the peaceful conduct of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on October 13. Lt. Gen. Antonio Nafarrete, AFP Western Mindanao Command chief, assured this during the 2nd Regional Joint Security Control Center Conference at Camp SK Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte. Ray Sumalipao, Commission on Elections director in BARMM, stated that the military and police will facilitate peace covenant signings among political candidates across the region. Separately, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Muntok Utap was killed by armed men just 11 days after signing a peace pact to resolve a feud with rival rebel leader Norodin Utto in Maguindanao del Sur. Utap was ambushed while traveling in a vehicle near Dansalan Elementary School in Barangay Panadtaban. In another incident, unidentified men threw a grenade into the compound of Tamontaka Builders in Kabacan, North Cotabato, on Sunday night. No injuries were reported, but authorities are investigating whether the company received extortion threats, as it claimed to have no known adversaries.
