The landmark election saw 700 candidates from 13 political parties vie for seats in the Bangsamoro parliament, with nearly 2.4 million constituents eligible to cast their votes.
Isolated gunfire incidents did not deter a “generally peaceful” maiden parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Monday (September 14), according to Philippine government officials, who affirmed they are continuously monitoring the situation to prevent further bloodshed.
A total of 80 parliamentary seats were at stake in an election expected to be a crucial step in establishing lasting peace in the Muslim-majority region after decades of armed conflict.
Police report stable polls
Philippine National Police spokesperson Allen Rae Co said in a press briefing on Monday that they observed a smooth electoral process in the region despite reports of gunfire cases in several polling areas.
Co maintained that the situation remained controllable, with no major violent incidents that warrant a wider intervention from state security forces.
“If it becomes widespread, that is probably the time we will have to adjust our assessment of the situation. But these are isolated incidents in several areas, and generally, in most areas of the BARMM, voting is proceeding smoothly,” said Co, according to a report by Philippine Star.
He also stated that authorities have calibrated their deployment and intervention strategies to better adapt should the necessity arise.
Meanwhile, Commission on Elections chairman George Garcia echoed the PNP’s assessment of the polling situation in BARMM.
“At present, we can say that our elections are generally peaceful,” said Garcia.
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Cotabato rocked by shooting
However, the PNP confirmed that a shooting incident at Central Pilot Elementary School in Cotabato City left three injured, including one police officer.
The incident prompted police forces to man the precinct to ensure stable operations, as seen in the official photos sent to the media.
Another gunfight was also reported between police forces and an unidentified armed group in Shariff Saydona Mustapha in Maguindanao del Sur.
Meanwhile, polling precincts across the region officially closed at 7 pm of the same day.
According to data from the Comelec website, 4,888 election returns have been received as of 10:30 pm.
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