Muslims in Southern Philippines head to the polls to elect the first parliament of the Bangsamoro region
Kuala Lumpur, Sept 14 (KUNA) -- Approximately 2.4 million voters in the predominantly Muslim Bangsamoro region of southern Philippines headed to polling stations on Monday to elect the region’s first parliament, marking a transition from a transitional administration established following a peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to an elected regional government after decades of armed conflict and autonomy negotiations.
The Philippine news network GMA reported that the elections hold special significance for Filipino Muslims, as they represent the first direct transfer of power from the Bangsamoro transitional authority to elected institutions under a parliamentary system with a high degree of autonomy, while the region remains part of the Republic of the Philippines and subject to the national constitution and judicial system.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) projected voter turnout to range between 65 and 70 percent of the 2.393 million registered voters, with more than 5,200 polling stations open across the Bangsamoro region.
The Bangsamoro Parliament comprises 80 seats. Voters do not directly elect the head of government; instead, elected parliamentarians will later choose the regional prime minister by a majority of council members.
Several regional parties are competing in the election, led by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), historically linked to the MILF, which led peace negotiations with the central government, alongside the Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP) and other local forces vying to reshape the region’s political landscape.
Twelve party lists are competing for the 40 seats allocated for proportional representation within the 80-member parliament.
Tensions erupted in some areas during the early hours of voting, with three people killed and 15 others injured in a shootout between supporters of rival political camps near a polling station in Cotabato City, following a dispute over voter queue arrangements that escalated into an armed confrontation.
Following security incidents and the discovery of pre-marked ballots in Maluso, Comelec placed Cotabato City and the municipality of Maluso in the Bangsamoro region of Basilan under its direct control, ordering the reprinting of ballots for the affected area.
The police and armed forces have reinforced their deployments across the region, while authorities classified 108 polling precincts at varying levels of security risk due to political competition, armed family feuds, or the presence of armed groups.
The Bangsamoro Civilian Emergency Management and Protection Force raised its alert status to red for the entire election day, deploying approximately 30,000 police and military personnel to help secure the voting process.
The elections are also being monitored by 108 observers from 16 organizations and foreign diplomatic missions, alongside international institutions, signaling international interest in sustaining the region’s peace process.
The roots of the Bangsamoro issue trace back to decades of conflict and demands for autonomy. The Moro movement escalated in 1968, leading to the emergence of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), followed by the MILF. The Philippine government subsequently engaged in a prolonged process of negotiations and fighting, culminating in the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro in 2014, the ratification of the Basic Law in 2018, and its approval via a popular referendum in 2019, which established the new autonomous region.
Since 2019, the Bangsamoro Transitional Authority has managed the region, built governance institutions, and enacted laws regulating the transitional phase, paving the way for the shift to an elected parliamentary system. This period has also seen continued normalization, reintegration of former combatants, and efforts to enhance security, development, and reconciliation, leading up to today’s elections, which mark the first transition from an appointed transitional administration to a government deriving its legitimacy from voters.
The elected parliament and government are scheduled to assume their duties on October 30, while Comelec aims to declare winners within approximately two days after voting concludes, provided vote counting and result compilation proceed according to plan. (End)
