Amid security operations for the Sept. 14 parliamentary polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a Facebook user claims that 39 troopers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines were allegedly blocked and disarmed as they passed through a Moro Islamic Liberation Front camp in Lanao del Sur. This is false, according to an election watchdog.
On Sept. 9, five days before the historic elections in the BARMM, a netizen posted a supposed “breaking news” that read:
“..hinarang ng MILF ang 39 na sundalo ng AFP na dumaan sa kanilang kampo sa Lanao del Sur at pinadeposito pa ang kanilang mga baril, ano ito? bawian na sila
(The MILF blocked 39 AFP soldiers who passed through their camp in Lanao del Sur and even ordered them to lay down their firearms. What is this? Are they planning to retaliate)?”
In an FB post on the same day, the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) – BARMM debunked the claim, citing its initial verification with local military contacts indicating that “no such incident occurred.”
“There is no indication of a blockade, confrontation, or confiscation of firearms involving AFP and MILF personnel in Lanao del Sur,” the IEMC-BARMM said.
The civil society organizations-led poll watchdog encouraged the public to rely on the official statements from authorities like the AFP, the Philippine National Police and the Commission on Elections – BARMM to verify claims about security operations.
“Claims involving AFP–MILF security coordination carry particular weight during the election period. Unverified reports about troop movements or security incidents can heighten tension, especially in areas with prior conflict history,” it noted.
In February 2023, a similar incident happened in Maguing, Lanao del Sur, where 39 members of the Army Special Forces accidentally entered an MILF camp. While they were detained by the Moro group for at least 25 hours and eventually freed, they were not disarmed, according to media reports.
The spurious post emerged a day after the Philippine Army deployed 11,900 troops and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit Active Auxiliary members to secure the first BARMM elections on Sept. 14.
The AFP previously said at least 10,031 military personnel were stationed across the election areas in BARMM.
Published by FB user Kakatoh Tending (created on Jan. 11, 2020), the fraudulent claim has received 1,096 interactions as of writing.
