Historic BARMM vote opens under shadow of killings, ballot tampering

MANILA, Philippines — Voters across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao began casting ballots Monday, September 14, in the region's first parliamentary elections, as violence and reports of election irregularities disrupted voting in several areas.

At least three people were killed and 15 others wounded in Cotabato City hours before polls opened, while authorities also reported gunfire, an explosion and alleged pre-shaded ballots in Basilan.

The Commission on Elections later placed Cotabato City and Maluso, Basilan under Comelec control, giving the poll body direct authority over local officials, government employees and law enforcement to address security threats and protect the integrity of the vote.

More than two million voters are eligible to elect 80 members of the first regular Bangsamoro Parliament, marking a major step in a peace process that established BARMM after decades of conflict.

In Marawi City, voters formed long lines outside polling stations early Monday as soldiers, police personnel and armored vehicles stood guard, Agence France-Presse reported.

"We're excited, we came here early in the morning," 18-year-old voter Mohammad Actar Macabada told AFP after casting his ballot.

"I'm nervous because there might be chaos. Before there was chaos. Now it's peaceful," he said. "I'm excited for the results."

More than 20,000 security personnel have been deployed across BARMM, with quick response teams placed on standby.

Explosion near polling area

An explosion, meanwhile, also reported Sunday evening in MB Kalanganan, Cotabato City.

Police said a male resident of Poblacion 1 was injured after he saw a bright light and heard a blast while waiting for his construction foreman.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the Philippine National Police later determined that the blast involved an improvised explosive device.

AFP separately reported that a man died in hospital early Monday following an explosion near another polling station. Police were still investigating its cause.

The incidents were among those cited by Comelec in placing Cotabato City under its control.

"Just earlier, the Commission en banc decided to place Cotabato City under Comelec control," Garcia said.

Placing an area under Comelec control gives the poll body direct supervision over government officials and law enforcement involved in the election. The declaration also allows it to direct security deployments and other measures needed to protect the vote.

Pre-shaded ballots in Basilan

Comelec also placed Maluso, Basilan under its control after authorities discovered that ballots in 36 of the municipality's 68 precincts had allegedly been pre-shaded overnight.

"We determined as of last night that the ballots in 36 of the 68 precincts had been compromised. We found that all of them had been pre-shaded," Garcia said in mixed English and Filipino.

(Left) Election officers prepare the vote counting machines in a classroom in a voting precinct. (Right) A pre-shaded ballot discovered by the Comelec in Maluso, Basilan.

Commission on Elections / Released

Garcia said election officials had identified those believed responsible and ordered the reprinting of ballots for the affected precincts.

Several ballot boxes also had broken seals, although Garcia said a closer inspection found that the ballots inside other boxes remained intact.

Voting continued as scheduled in Maluso's remaining 32 precincts.

The PPCRV separately reported "rampant" vote buying in Barangays Marang and Gadung in Barira, Maguindanao del Norte, as well as reports of voters casting ballots multiple times at Central Oring Elementary School in Buldon.

As of Monday morning, all clustered precincts in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and the Special Geographic Area had opened, while 81.46% of clustered precincts in Basilan were operational.

The Bangsamoro polls are the culmination of a decades-long peace process that led to the creation of BARMM and the transition from an appointed interim government to an elected parliament. 

Deadly Cotabato shooting

Violence also marked the hours in the leadup the Monday's vote. Before midnight on Sunday, gunfire broke out outside Datu Usman Mampen Elementary School in Cotabato City after supporters of rival political groups jostled for position in a queue ahead of voting.

Cotabato police chief Jibin Bongcayao told AFP that the confrontation began as a struggle over who would vote first.

"It started as a struggle for position in the queue between two groups," Bongcayao said.

"It led to shoving, escalated into a fistfight, and eventually gunfire broke out in a crowded area."

Police confirmed that three men were killed, including an 88-year-old resident, while 15 others were wounded and taken to hospitals.

Scene-of-the-crime operatives recovered shell casings believed to have come from .45-caliber and 9mm firearms.

Bongcayao said those involved belonged to rival political parties that emerged from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Separate gunfire was also reported Monday at Dilausan Elementary School in Lumbaca-Unayan, Lanao del Sur, according to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting.

Media reports also cited gunfire at Central Pilot School in Cotabato City, prompting the deployment of Philippine Marines and police. — with Agence France-Presse