Police, BARMM set up public service communications network

COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro police and a regional ministry have established a telecommunications cooperation framework to accelerate peacebuilding efforts in the autonomous region.

Regional Transportation and Communications Minister Paisalin Pangandaman Tago told reporters on Wednesday, February 12, that officials from the Bangsamoro Telecommunications Commission (BTC) and the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region have reached an agreement to cooperate in implementing communication systems essential for maintaining law and order in the autonomous region.

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao includes the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

The Ministry of Transportation and Communications-BARMM, through its BTC, aims to enhance connectivity between police stations, as well as city and provincial police offices under PRO-BAR, and telecommunication facilities in the autonomous region.

The BTC and PRO-BAR will also work together to prevent the use of two-way radios and unauthorized telecommunications signal boosters by BARMM residents.

“We had a recent comprehensive brainstorming dialogue on that at the headquarters of the Bangsamoro regional police,” Tago said.

Pangandaman, along with BTC officials, Macapaz, and his regional support staff, outlined the parameters for their joint communications support program during a meeting at the PRO-BAR headquarters in Camp SK Pendatun, Parang, Maguindanao del Norte.

Macapaz said that they will do their best to fully operationalize the program in the coming weeks to enhance security operations and support the Commission on Elections in ensuring a safe and orderly election in May 2025.