Three people were killed and 15 others wounded in a shooting in Cotabato City just hours before voting began on Monday for the first parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The violence broke out outside a school being used as a polling station in Barangay Bagua 2 shortly before midnight. Police said rival political groups became involved in a dispute over their positions in the queue, which escalated from shoving to a fistfight before gunfire erupted in the crowded area.
The incident came as nearly 2.4 million registered voters across BARMM prepared to elect the region’s first regular parliament. The election will fill 80 seats and represents a major milestone in a peace process that has sought to move the predominantly Muslim region away from decades of armed conflict and toward greater self-government.
The Commission on Elections placed Cotabato City under its control following the shooting. Authorities also reported a separate incident involving an improvised explosive device, which injured the person carrying it, while a gun was fired in another incident without causing injuries.
Another election-related problem emerged in Maluso, Basilan, where pre-shaded ballots were discovered in 36 of 68 precincts. Comelec ordered new ballots to be printed for the affected areas, potentially delaying voting there.
Security has been a major concern for the historic vote because BARMM has long struggled with political violence, clan conflicts and armed insurgency. More than 20,000 security personnel were deployed across the region to help protect voters, polling stations and election officials.
Despite the violence, voting proceeded Monday morning across the autonomous region. Philippine officials have described the election as an important test of the Bangsamoro peace process and its transition from armed struggle to democratic political participation.
The new parliament will have an important role beyond passing regional laws. Its members will also choose the region’s chief minister, making the election a crucial step in determining how BARMM’s autonomous government will be led.
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