Security Tightened for Historic BARMM Election as Shooting Claims Lives

In the pre‑dawn hours of Sunday, gunfire outside a voting centre in Cotabato City resulted in three fatalities and fifteen injuries. The attack occurred just hours before the first parliamentary polls opened in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Local authorities said the violence stemmed from a quarrel between rival political groups over their place in the voting queue. The disagreement turned violent, with physical altercations giving way to shots fired in the crowded precinct.

BARMM is holding elections for 80 parliamentary seats, contested by 13 parties, with more than two million registered voters expected to turn out. In anticipation of possible unrest, the government has deployed over 20,000 security personnel across the region and positioned rapid‑response units at key locations.

The election is hailed as a milestone for self‑determination after decades of conflict that resulted in over 120,000 deaths and displaced roughly two million residents. International partners view the vote as a critical assessment of the 2014 peace accord that granted BARMM autonomous status.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged the public to vote, describing the poll as a decisive step toward lasting peace, democratic rule, and genuine self‑governance for the region.