Duterte thanks police, military for 'peaceful' 2019 midterm elections

President Rodrigo Duterte recognized the efforts of the police and the military for the successful conduct of the May 13 midterm elections.

“The entire military establishment and the police, you have to thank them for the peaceful election,” Duterte said in a speech at the Eid’l Fitr celebration in Davao City on Thursday night.

He also expressed his gratitude to people who toiled to implement the Bangsamoro Organic Law, including former Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza and the current peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr.

Both the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines had said  the 2019 national and local elections turned out to be generally peaceful nationwide with no reported major untoward incident that affected the electoral exercise.

According to AFP public affairs chief Colonel Noel Detoyato, the peaceful elections resulted from the months-long preparation of the AFP, PNP and the Commission on Elections.

"The months of preparations through coordination and conferences by the PNP, AFP and the Comelec have been effective in ensuring that the Filipino people can exercise their right to vote free from intimidation, threats and harassment," Detoyato said in a statement after the 12-hour voting period on May 13.

The results of the midterm elections bode well for the administration with Duterte retaining majority support in the Senate and House of Representatives. —KBK, GMA News