BASILAN, Philippines — Philippine police and military personnel foiled a suspected bombing attempt in Basilan after recovering an improvised explosive device just hours before polling precincts opened for the historic first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on Monday, Sept. 14.
The IED was discovered at around 1:15 a.m. in Barangay Balobo, Lamitan City, during an intelligence-driven operation involving police, Special Action Force personnel, explosive ordnance specialists and Philippine Army troops.
The operation prevented the explosive device from becoming an immediate threat as nearly 2.4 million voters across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, or BARMM, prepared to cast their ballots in the region’s first parliamentary election.
IED Recovered Before Polls Opened
According to SunStar Zamboanga, the operation was carried out by the Lamitan City Police Station, the Regional Intelligence Division Tracker Team, the 52nd Special Action Force, the Provincial Explosive and Canine Unit in Basilan and troops from the Philippine Army’s 112th Division Reconnaissance Company.
Authorities recovered the suspected explosive device before voting began.
The incident immediately added to concerns over election security in Basilan and across BARMM, where authorities had already deployed extensive security forces in anticipation of possible violence and other disruptions.
Election Day Begins Under Heightened Security
The foiled bombing attempt came as BARMM held its first regular parliamentary elections—a major milestone in the region’s transition from an interim government to an elected parliament.
Nearly 2.4 million registered voters are eligible to participate in the election, which will determine the composition of the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament.
The parliament will later elect the region’s chief minister.
But election day has been overshadowed by a series of security incidents and alleged irregularities in different parts of the region.
Basilan Already at the Center of Election Concerns
The IED recovery in Lamitan came as another Basilan area, the municipality of Maluso, was placed under Comelec control after election officials discovered allegedly pre-shaded ballots in 36 of its 68 precincts.
Comelec ordered replacement ballots to be printed for the affected precincts.
SunStar also reported that Philippine authorities recorded several security incidents around the opening of the polls, including shootings, alleged explosions and the recovery of an IED.
The separate incidents have placed Basilan under intense scrutiny during one of the most important political moments in BARMM’s history.
Violence Also Hits Cotabato City
Security concerns were not limited to Basilan.
In Cotabato City, three people were killed and 15 others wounded after violence erupted around the start of the election period.
The incident prompted the Commission on Elections to place Cotabato City under its control.
A separate incident involving an improvised explosive device was also reported in the city, further highlighting the volatile security environment surrounding the historic vote.
More Than an Ordinary Election
Monday’s vote represents a defining moment for BARMM.
The autonomous region was established following a 2014 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF, after decades of armed conflict in southern Philippines.
The creation of BARMM was intended to provide greater autonomy and create a pathway toward lasting peace and democratic self-governance.
But the transition has faced repeated challenges, including election postponements, political rivalries, security threats and concerns over clan-related violence.
The Sept. 14 election is therefore being closely watched as a major test of whether the region’s peace process can move successfully into a new era of elected governance.
Security Forces Had Been Preparing for Months
Authorities had been preparing for potential threats ahead of the BARMM elections, with more than 20,000 security personnel deployed across the region.
Police, military units and election authorities strengthened checkpoints and security operations in areas considered vulnerable to violence.
The discovery of the IED in Lamitan demonstrates why those preparations were considered critical.
For voters in Basilan, however, the recovery of the device has raised another unsettling question: Was the alleged bombing attempt intended to disrupt the election itself?
Authorities have not publicly established the intended target or publicly identified who was responsible for the recovered IED as of the latest reports.
A Historic Vote Faces Its Biggest Security Test
The recovery of the explosive device happened just hours before polling stations opened.
Then came reports of shootings, explosions and ballot irregularities elsewhere in BARMM.
Despite the incidents, election authorities said voting was proceeding under heightened security across the region.
But the events of election day have made one thing clear:
The road to BARMM’s first elected parliament is being tested from the very first hours.
An IED was recovered in Basilan before dawn.
Three people were killed in election-related violence in Cotabato City.
Maluso was placed under Comelec control after ballots were allegedly pre-shaded.
And security forces remain on high alert across the Bangsamoro region.
The bombing attempt was foiled—but authorities now face an even bigger challenge: Can they prevent the next threat before it disrupts one of the most historic elections in Mindanao’s history?
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