Violence Kills Three in Cotabato City as Philippines’ BARMM Parliamentary Election Begins

Voting began on Monday in the Philippines’ Muslim-majority south after three people were killed and 15 wounded in violence on the eve of the historic BARMM parliamentary election, with the Commission on Elections placing Cotabato City under its control after the Sunday gunfire.

“three people were killed and 15 wounded in violence on the eve of the historic election”

Reuters

Reuters said the violence erupted when an argument at a polling station erupted in gunfire, and it reported that elections for party-list representatives, district representatives, and sectoral seats across the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had been generally peaceful so far despite logistical challenges including reprinting ballots to replace pre-shaded ones.R

@globaltimesnews

The Reuters report also quoted President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. saying, "The election marks a milestone in the continuing journey of BARMM towards lasting peace, democratic governance and meaningful self-determination," in a video message urging voters to take part.R

In Cotabato City, Cotabato police chief Jibin Bongcayao described the pre-midnight confrontation outside a school-turned-polling station as starting "as a struggle for position in the queue between two groups," then escalating into "eventually gunfire broke out in a crowded area."

As the vote proceeded, the Commission on Elections placed Cotabato City and Maluso, Basilan under its control after violence and irregularities, including reports of pre-shaded ballots in 36 of the municipality’s 68 precincts.

Philstar reported that Comelec Chairman George Garcia said, "We determined as of last night that the ballots in 36 of the 68 precincts had been compromised," and that he ordered reprinting for the affected precincts where voting would be delayed.

Al Jazeera

In a separate account of the violence, the Daily Tribune said the shootout in front of Datu Usman Mampen Elementary School in Barangay Bagua 2 in Cotabato City left three dead and 15 injured, and it quoted Police Regional Office - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region spokesperson Capt. Steffi Salanguit describing the incident as happening when "two groups of men gathered in front of the school".

Reuters also reported that Election Commission Chairperson George Erwin Garcia condemned the act of violence while saying some precincts may stay open until 9 p.m. due to delayed opening, even as voting precincts close at 7 p.m. R(1100 GMT).

Multiple outlets framed the election as a test of the BARMM peace process, with Reuters describing the vote as a crucial test of whether the regional autonomy granted under a 2014 peace deal can be sustained through elected institutions.R

“"killed more than 120,000 people"”

Reuters

Reuters reported that the autonomy was intended to halt a conflict that "killed more than 120,000 people" and displaced about 2 million, while it also said the election completes a transition set in motion by the agreement between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).R

In an opinion piece, Rappler argued that the elections are under the shadow of resurgent extremism and said violent incidents linked to extremist groups "have nearly doubled, rising 91% to 44 cases in 2025 from 23 a year earlier."

Rappler further warned that the resurgence of violent extremism "threatens to undermine it," tying the risk directly to the first parliamentary elections as BARMM moves from an appointed authority to a democratically elected government.