Manila: Voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao began casting ballots on Monday in the region’s first parliamentary election, a historic step in the long effort to bring peace and self government to the conflict affected southern Philippines.
The election is taking place under tight security after violence in Cotabato City left four people dead and 18 others injured in two separate shooting incidents.
Three people were killed and 15 were injured in a shooting in Cotabato City late on Sunday, hours before voting began. A second shooting at Cotabato City Central Pilot School on Monday left one person dead and three others injured while voting was under way.
The Commission on Elections, known as COMELEC, placed Cotabato City under its control following the violence. Police and election authorities are investigating the incidents.
Another major concern emerged in Maluso municipality in Basilan province, where pre shaded ballots were found in 36 of 68 precincts. COMELEC placed Maluso under its control and ordered replacement ballots for the affected precincts.
The ballot problem has raised concerns about the integrity of the vote. However, authorities have not established publicly whether the incident was part of a wider attempt to influence the election.
Despite the violence and other problems, voting continued across most of the region. Authorities reported that the large majority of polling precincts opened as planned, while thousands of police and military personnel were deployed to maintain security.
Police are investigating seven suspected election related incidents across the Bangsamoro region. Authorities have also reported an explosion involving an improvised explosive device among the incidents linked to the election.
Nearly 2.4 million registered voters are eligible to take part in the election. They are choosing members of an 80 member Bangsamoro Parliament.
The parliament will include representatives from regional political parties, districts and sectors. Its members will later choose the region’s chief minister, who will lead the executive branch of the autonomous government.
The election is significant because it marks the first regular parliamentary vote in the Bangsamoro region. It completes a transition from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to an elected regional government.
The process is rooted in the 2014 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, or MILF. The agreement provided a framework for ending the armed separatist conflict and establishing greater regional autonomy.
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was later created through Philippine legislation and approved by voters in a 2019 plebiscite. The regional government has since been run by an interim administration while preparations were made for the first regular parliamentary election.
The election had been postponed several times before finally being held on September 14.
The peace process has reduced the level of armed conflict in the region, but important challenges remain. The MILF committed to decommissioning its fighters as part of the peace agreement, but the process has not been fully completed.
Political competition is also intense. Former MILF members, rival political groups and established political families are competing for influence in the new parliamentary system. The region has a long history of political rivalry, clan conflict and armed violence.
More than 20,000 police and military personnel have been deployed to help secure the election. Authorities had identified areas of concern before voting began and increased security in locations considered vulnerable to violence.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged voters to take part in the election and protect the integrity of their ballots. He described the vote as an important step towards peace, democratic governance and self determination in the region.
COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia also urged voters not to be intimidated by the violence. Election officials said voting had remained generally peaceful despite the incidents and problems reported in some areas.
For many voters, the election represents more than the selection of parliament members. The region has experienced decades of armed conflict, displacement and underdevelopment, and the new political system is expected to address concerns about security, jobs, public services and economic development.
The election is also an important test for the Bangsamoro peace process. A credible and peaceful vote could strengthen confidence in regional autonomy and help move former armed groups further into democratic politics.
The elected parliament will now determine the political balance of the new government and choose the chief minister.
The results will show whether the Bangsamoro region can make a lasting transition from an interim administration shaped by a peace agreement to a stable elected government.