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IN VIDEOS: Thousands of cops, soldiers given send-off for Bangsamoro plebiscite duty

Rambo Talabong

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IN VIDEOS: Thousands of cops, soldiers given send-off for Bangsamoro plebiscite duty
An elaborate ceremony marks the start of intensified deployments for securing the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite

MANILA, Philippines – Around 2,000 cops and soldiers gathered inside Camp Siongco in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao on Friday, January 18 for a formal send- off to secure the historic Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite.

Part of a 20,000-strong joint police and military force, the personnel are expected to protect an estimated 2.8 million voters from extremist groups who might sabotage the the culmination of a decades-long peace process.

This is why the government only saw it fit to give them an elaborate send-off.

The troopers were ordered in formation as early as 8 am on Friday for a program that started at 10 am.

A Muslim Imam and a Catholic priest offered prayers for the troopers, asking that they may be granted strength to maintain peace during the plebiscite and beyond. (READ: A new jihad: Helping Marawi)

The strength of the joint forces were precisely put on display for the occasion. Tanks lined the end of the formation, and helicopters hovered over the field to bid the troopers good luck.

The cops and soldiers’ leaders, meanwhile, gave their own speeches, asking them to stay the course in maintaining peace in Mindanao.

After they read their messages, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde and Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Benjamin Madrigal Jr spoke personally with their respective personnel to raise their morale.

 – Rappler.com

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Rambo Talabong

Rambo Talabong covers the House of Representatives and local governments for Rappler. Prior to this, he covered security and crime. He was named Jaime V. Ongpin Fellow in 2019 for his reporting on President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs. In 2021, he was selected as a journalism fellow by the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics.
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