The Philippine National Police (PNP) made it clear that there are no areas “off-limits” to police, especially when they must ensure an orderly and peaceful election, it said on Friday, just days before the September 14 BARMM polls.

PNP Spokesperson Allen Rae Co made the announcement despite Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Leader Abdullah “Kumander Bravo” Macapaar’s ban on the presence of government forces in the Lanao province communities, reported RH 52 Edniel Parrosa.

“There are no off-limits to our force, especially when ensuring a peaceful election. We do not see any potential, specific threats but we are continuous in monitoring the situation,” Co told the media.

In a separate statement, PNP Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stressed that there was nothing “unusual” about erecting checkpoints in the region.

“We all want to have peaceful and orderly elections in BARMM and for your PNP, there is an extra challenge: to get rid of the stereotype that elections always come with violence in this particular region and to prove that it is doable,” he said.