The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Andres Centino commended the efforts of military personnel in ensuring peaceful and orderly local and national elections.

“I commend all our personnel who dutifully performed our mandate to ensure peaceful and credible elections,” Centino said.

The AFP has an extended duty to protect the sanctity of the ballot as deputized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The Comelec earlier declared that the recently held national and local polls have been generally peaceful.

More than 70,000 soldiers have been deployed by the military across the country to safeguard the 2022 elections.

Troops have monitored the security situation of over a hundred cities and municipalities classified by the Comelec as ‘election areas of concern’.

Different military assets have also been utilized to support the transportation requirements of the May 9 elections.

The presence of government forces in critical areas deterred armed groups who tried to orchestrate chaos.

Centino had urged military personnel to practice their right to suffrage. About 33,000 troops cast their vote from April 27 to 29 through the Local Absentee Voting (LAV).

“You have excellently done your part so that there will be no disruptions during the elections. Thank you for doing your duties very well,” he said. AFP Public Affairs Office