A deadly shooting in Cotabato hours before polling stations opened cast an early shadow over the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as voters prepared to elect the region’s first parliament. 3 people were killed and 15 others wounded in the gunfire, which erupted just before midnight outside a school being used as a polling station in the regional capital.
The violence came as the region entered a historic election that marks the culmination of an on-and-off peace process that began in the late 1990s and led to the creation of BARMM in the country's far south. More than two million voters are eligible to participate in the election, with 80 parliament seats being contested by 13 parties.
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Deadly Clash Erupts Before Polls Open
Cotabato police chief Jibin Bongcayao said the confrontation began when members of rival political factions disputed who would have the right to vote first. What started as a disagreement over queue positions escalated into physical violence before shots were fired in the crowded area.
"It started as a struggle for position in the queue between two groups," Bongcayao said, describing the incident outside the school-turned-polling station.
"It led to shoving, escalated into a fistfight, and eventually gunfire broke out in a crowded area."
According to Bongcayao, those involved belonged to rival parties that emerged from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the group that spent decades fighting for regional autonomy in the predominantly Catholic country.
The shooting underscored the security concerns surrounding an election in a region with a long history of political violence and blood feuds involving powerful families. Party leaders recently told visiting AFP journalists that a peaceful election would itself be considered a successful outcome given the region’s history.
Authorities had already intensified security preparations before Election Day. More than 20,000 security personnel were deployed across voting areas, while quick response teams were organized to address potential violence.
The heightened alert followed another security incident last month, when a motorcade carrying the region's interim chief minister, an appointee of President Ferdinand Marcos, was ambushed and peppered with bullets.
A separate incident also occurred in the early hours of Monday, when a man died in hospital following an explosion near another polling station. Police are still investigating the cause.
Voters Push Ahead With Historic Election
Despite the violence, voting proceeded across the autonomous Muslim region on Monday morning, with residents participating in an election years in the making. The polls are intended to establish BARMM’s first elected parliament following decades of conflict and negotiations over regional autonomy.
In Marawi, AFP journalists observed long lines of voters outside polling stations, with tanks and security personnel deployed nearby. The scenes were markedly calmer as voters waited to participate in the historic election.
"We're excited, we came here early in the morning," said Mohammad Actar Macabada, 18, after casting his vote.
"I'm nervous because there might be chaos. Before, there was chaos. Now it's peaceful," he added. "I'm excited for the results."
The contrast between the peaceful queues in some areas and the deadly incident in Cotabato highlights the difficult security environment surrounding the first parliamentary polls. Maintaining order remains particularly significant in a region where political disputes have historically intersected with longstanding family rivalries and armed conflict.
The election is therefore about more than selecting members of a new legislature. It also puts the durability of the peace process to a practical test, as BARMM moves from an interim political arrangement toward an elected parliament.
The ability to conduct the vote safely matters beyond BARMM. A credible and peaceful election would strengthen confidence in the region’s political transition and demonstrate that decades of peace efforts can translate into functioning democratic institutions. But incidents of violence also show why security, accountability, and the protection of voters remain essential to making self-governance meaningful in the Bangsamoro and sustaining stability in the wider country.
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