Four people were killed and 18 others injured during the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, with two separate shooting incidents reported in Cotabato City as voters across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao went to the polls.
The violence marred what was otherwise described by election officials as a generally peaceful historic vote aimed at establishing the region’s first elected parliamentary government.
Three killed in Cotabato City shooting
The deadliest incident occurred late Sunday in Barangay Bagua Dos in Cotabato City, where a shooting left three people dead and 15 others injured.
The attack happened as the region prepared for its first parliamentary elections, raising fresh concerns about security in an area where political rivalries and armed groups have long complicated the electoral process.
The identities and circumstances surrounding the victims were still being established as authorities investigated the incident.
Another shooting leaves one dead
A second shooting was reported Monday morning at the Cotabato City Central Pilot School.
One civilian was killed while three other people were injured in the incident.
The two attacks brought the reported election-related toll in Cotabato City to four deaths and 18 injuries.
Election officials condemned the violence and expressed concern over incidents that resulted in the deaths and injuries of voters and other civilians.
Comelec says violence was limited to Cotabato City
Despite the shootings, election officials said no other violent incidents had been reported in other parts of the Bangsamoro region at the time of the briefing.
Commission on Elections Chairman George Garcia said authorities continued to monitor the situation while voting proceeded in other areas.
The assessment came as nearly 2.4 million registered voters across BARMM were expected to choose members of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament.
The parliament will eventually select the region’s chief minister, giving the election major significance for the political future of the autonomous region.
Basilan voting disrupted by ballot problems
Basilan also experienced disruptions during the historic vote.
In Maluso, replacement ballots for 36 polling precincts were being transported after the original voting materials became unavailable.
Garcia said the reprinted ballots had reached the airport and were being prepared for transport to Zamboanga before being flown by helicopter directly to Maluso.
The delays raised the possibility of extending voting hours to ensure affected voters could still cast their ballots.
In Al-Barka, Basilan, voting was delayed until around 10:30 a.m. following a heated confrontation involving partisan groups and members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Because of the delayed start, the Comelec extended voting hours in the area by two hours, allowing voting to continue until 9 p.m.
Historic election faces major test
The parliamentary election represents a major milestone for BARMM and the peace process that preceded its creation.
The autonomous region was established in 2019 following the 2014 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The parliamentary system is intended to replace the region’s previous transitional political arrangement with an elected legislature.
Members of the new 80-seat parliament will play a central role in shaping BARMM’s laws, budget priorities and regional government, while eventually choosing the chief minister.
That makes the security situation surrounding the first election particularly significant.
Authorities urge calm as counting begins
Election officials and security authorities have urged candidates, supporters and voters to remain calm and avoid actions that could further escalate tensions.
The incidents in Cotabato City have highlighted the security challenges facing BARMM even as the region takes a major step toward a more permanent system of self-government.
For now, officials maintain that the parliamentary elections have been generally peaceful outside the reported incidents in Cotabato City and the disruptions in parts of Basilan.
But with four people dead and 18 injured, the first BARMM parliamentary vote has already been marked by violence that could test the region’s fragile political transition and the broader peace gains achieved over the past decade.
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