First Parliamentary Elections Held in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Amid Security Concerns

The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) held its first parliamentary elections on Monday, marking a significant step toward self-determination following decades of insurgency and violence. Nearly 2.4 million voters were eligible to cast ballots for 80 seats in the regional parliament, which include 40 regional party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. The region's chief minister will be chosen by the newly elected parliament members during their first session.

Violence and irregularities disrupted the polling process in several areas. A shooting incident in Cotabato City killed three people and injured 15 others, leading the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to place the city under its control. Other incidents included an improvised bomb blast that injured the carrier and a separate shooting where no one was hurt. In the town of Maluso, Basilan, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia reported that pre-shaded ballots were found in 36 out of 68 precincts. This discovery necessitated the reprinting of approximately 16,000 ballots, which were scheduled for distribution on Tuesday morning.

To secure the vote, more than 20,000 military and police personnel were deployed across the region. The elections follow a 2014 peace deal where the Moro Islamic Liberation Front agreed to give up its goal of a separate state in exchange for broader autonomy. However, challenges remain, including the suspension of the decommissioning of 14,000 fighters by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front due to claims that the government failed to meet socio-economic commitments.

As of Monday night, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) reported a partial, unofficial parallel count covering more than 85 percent of precincts. Tawi-Tawi showed the highest completion rate at 94.83 percent, while Basilan had the lowest at 71.72 percent.