Philippines’ autonomous Muslim region votes for first parliament after three shot dead on eve of election

MARAWI, Sept 14 — On the first day of voting for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) first elected parliament, chaos unfolded as at least three people were killed and 15 wounded in a shooting outside a polling station in Cotabato, hours before polls opened. This violence marred what should have been a landmark event in the region’s on-off peace process, which began in the late 1990s and established BARMM.

More than two million voters are eligible to elect 80 parliament members from 13 parties. In Marawi, a city notorious for a bloody standoff between government forces and jihadists, AFP journalists witnessed long lines of voters peacefully waiting outside polling stations, with tanks and security personnel on standby. Mohammad Actar Macabada, an 18-year-old voter, expressed excitement and nervousness, hoping for a peaceful election after years of violence and political feuds.

However, the fragile peace was shattered by gunfire erupting outside a school-turned-polling station in Cotabato, where rival political factions engaged in a violent altercation that escalated into gunfire. The incident occurred as members of rival parties jostled for the right to cast ballots first. Security measures have been bolstered across BARMM, with over 20,000 security personnel deployed and response teams ready to counter potential violence.

Recent incidents include an ambush of a region’s interim chief minister’s motorcade and an explosion near another polling station that claimed a life. Authorities are investigating the causes of these incidents.