Violence cast a shadow over the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region’s first-ever parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14, as hooded attackers smashed vehicles outside a Cotabato City polling site, gunfire claimed lives near voting centers, and election officials uncovered evidence of ballot tampering in a remote Basilan town — all while nearly 2.4 million registered voters attempted to exercise their democratic right.
Cotabato City Police Chief Col. Jibin Bongcayao reported that a group of masked individuals armed with sticks and iron rods descended on the Sero Central Elementary School voting center along Sinsuat Avenue at approximately midday. The men — wearing ski masks, face masks, and hoodies — attempted to force their way inside but were turned back by police officers and Philippine Marines stationed at the site, Bongcayao said.
Toyota Fortuners Belonging to Rival Party Destroyed
Unable to breach the school’s perimeter, the attackers turned on two Toyota Fortuner SUVs parked along Sinsuat Avenue, just outside the two-hectare school campus. Bongcayao identified the vehicles as belonging to members of a rival political party fielding candidates for the Bangsamoro Parliament. The SUVs were parked fewer than 100 meters from Cotabato City Police Precinct 2 when they were smashed.
The assault triggered panic among bystanders and voters still within the school grounds. As of the time of reporting, no arrests had been announced. Investigators from the Cotabato City Police Office, together with local barangay officials, were working to identify the suspects with the aim of filing charges.
Shooting Inside Another Polling Center Adds to Death Toll
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia, speaking at a Monday afternoon press briefing, disclosed that a separate shooting incident unfolded inside Central Pilot Elementary School, also in Cotabato City, killing one person and wounding three others. Garcia said this brought the cumulative election-related toll to four dead and 19 injured across all reported incidents.
The bloodiest episode of the day had actually occurred hours before polling stations opened. According to Bongcayao, who spoke to AFP, gunfire erupted outside Datu Usman Mampen Elementary School in Barangay Bagua 2 when supporters of rival political groups clashed over who would be first in the voting queue. Garcia placed the time of that incident at approximately 11:45 p.m. Sunday, with three people killed and 15 wounded. Cotabato City police confirmed that among those injured was Councilor Marouph Pabo Pasawiran.
IED Blast Kills Resident the Night Before Polling Day
Prior to election day itself, a deadly explosion rocked Purok Amirol in Barangay Kalanganan at around 8 p.m. Sunday. Police identified the fatality as Zainodin Sapal Macabuat, who was reportedly waiting for a construction foreman when he noticed a bright white light followed by a blast. Shrapnel struck his torso, killing him. Garcia later confirmed that the Philippine National Police determined the device involved was an improvised explosive device, or IED.
PNP Tallies Seven Suspected Election-Related Incidents Nationwide
PNP information chief Col. Allen Rae Co said Monday that national police were investigating seven incidents flagged as potentially election-related: three shootings, three explosions, and one IED recovery in Basilan. Co said the shootings were reported in Basilan, Cotabato, and Maguindanao del Sur, while the explosion incidents occurred in Cotabato.
The Police Regional Office for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region later reported a wider tally of 16 election-related incidents covering shootings, trapping incidents, and explosions across the region. Despite the violence, Co characterized the overall conduct of the polls as generally peaceful, describing the reported gunfire as “isolated incidents in several areas.”
Comelec Takes Direct Control of Cotabato City and Maluso
In response to the surge in violence and irregularities, the Comelec placed all 37 barangays of Cotabato City under its direct authority. Garcia’s commission also assumed direct control of Maluso town in Basilan after poll workers discovered pre-shaded ballots in 36 of the municipality’s 68 precincts — a clear sign of attempted electoral fraud.
Voting in Maluso was briefly suspended while replacement official ballots were transported to affected precincts. The Comelec said it was actively investigating who was behind the alleged tampering. Under Comelec’s direct control mechanism, the commission assumes command over local officials, government workers, and law enforcement personnel involved in administering the election in the designated area.
A Landmark Election for the Bangsamoro Region
Despite the disorder, the election proceeded across most of the region. Garcia reported that 5,113 of 5,212 clustered precincts — representing 98.1 percent of the total — had opened by 7:49 a.m. Basilan recorded the lowest opening rate among all areas at 81.46 percent. Voting hours in Al-Barka, Basilan were extended by two hours, pushing the close of polls there to 9 p.m.
The Monday election was held to fill all 80 seats of the newly established Bangsamoro Parliament, whose members will subsequently choose the region’s chief minister. The vote formally concludes the transitional governance period administered by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority — an interim body appointed in 2019 — and represents the first time the region’s population has had the opportunity to elect their own parliamentary representatives. Canvassing of results was ongoing as of posting, with final outcomes still awaited.
By the Numbers
- 4 people killed in election-related violence
- 19 people injured across all election-related incidents
- 3 killed and 15 wounded in the Barangay Bagua 2 pre-dawn shooting
- 16 election-related incidents confirmed by the Police Regional Office–BARMM
- 7 incidents investigated by the PNP as suspected election-related (3 shootings, 3 explosions, 1 IED recovery in Basilan)
- 36 of 68 precincts in Maluso, Basilan found to have pre-shaded ballots
- 37 barangays of Cotabato City placed under Comelec direct control
- ~2.4 million registered voters participated in the BARMM parliamentary election
- 98.1% of clustered precincts (5,113 of 5,212) had opened by 7:49 a.m.
- 80 seats being contested in the Bangsamoro Parliament
Why This Matters
Monday’s vote marks a historic turning point for the Bangsamoro region, formally concluding seven years of transitional rule under the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and handing governance to a parliament chosen by the region’s own electorate for the first time. The wave of violence — four dead, 19 injured, and 16 confirmed incidents — alongside the discovery of pre-shaded ballots in Maluso threatens to undermine confidence in the legitimacy of this inaugural democratic exercise. The Comelec’s extraordinary decision to assume direct control over Cotabato City and Maluso underscores both the severity of the irregularities recorded and the enormous security and governance challenges that will confront the Bangsamoro Parliament from the very moment it is constituted.
Source: Wire reports
