ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Armed Forces has activated Task Force Halalan 2008-ARMM to ensure free, honest, peaceful and credible elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on August 11.

Under the task force are two task groups— Wesmin and Easmin—that are directly under the command and control of the military’s Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) and Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), respectively.

Four provinces of the ARMM, namely, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi fall within the area of operations of Wesmincom, while Maguindanao and Shariff Kabunsuan are within the area of operations of Eastmincom.

The Wesmincom information officer, Maj. Eugenio Batara Jr., said the task force was created in line with the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Resolution 8473, dated June 26, 2008, giving the Armed Forces active participation in the ARMM elections.

Resolution 8473 calls for the military not only to assist the Comelec but also to provide personnel and equipment in order to ensure the conduct of a free, honest, peaceful and credible elections in the autonomous region.

Batara said that on Thursday, the Westmincom deputy chief, Brig. Gen. Ricardo Garcia, who was designated as Task Group Wesmin head, presided over the coordinating conference after organizing the Task Force Halalan 2008-ARMM.

Batara said that during the conference, the operation officers of the field units under the Westmincom presented their respective implementing plans for the ARMM elections.

ARMM assistant election supervisor Vidzfar Julie, who is the concurrent Sulu election supervisor, discussed the duties and functions of the military in line with Comelec Resolution 8473, according to Batara. B. Garcia Jr.

The officers who comprise the task force halalan noted that ARMM has the most number of election-related violent incidents during the May 14, 2007 national and local elections compared to other regions in the country.

There were a total of 53 election-related violent incidents in ARMM representing 21 percent of the incidents nationwide.

At least 1.6 million voters will go to the polls on August 11 to elect a regional governor, a vice governor and members of the 24-seat unicameral Regional Legislative Assembly.

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Task force to secure ARMM elections’

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Armed Forces has activated Task Force Halalan 2008-ARMM to ensure free, honest, peaceful and credible elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on August 11.

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