SHARIFF SAYDONA MUSTAPHA, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR — Tension erupted in this municipality at midday Monday, September 14, after successive gunshots were reported along the Aguak-Mamasapano Highway near the main gate checkpoint of the municipal compound, as the Bangsamoro region held its first parliamentary elections.
Initial information from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) of Shariff Saydona Mustapha indicated that the incident began after police officers reportedly arrested an individual outside Nabundas Elementary School, which was being used as a voting center for the historic BARMM Parliamentary Elections.
The arrested individual was reportedly brought to the Shariff Saydona Mustapha Municipal Police Station. It was there, according to the initial account, that an exchange of gunfire broke out between government security forces and an unidentified armed group.
Gunfire was also reportedly heard at the rear portion of Nabundas Elementary School, raising concerns over the safety of voters and election personnel inside and around the polling center.
As of the latest initial reports, intermittent bursts of gunfire were still being heard in the area, although authorities had yet to establish the identities of those involved, the circumstances that triggered the confrontation, or whether the incident was directly connected to the conduct of the elections.
Voter wounded by stray bullet
A male elderly voter was reportedly struck by a stray bullet during the incident and sustained a minor injury.
He was immediately brought to the nearest health facility for medical treatment. No further details on his condition were immediately available.
The reported injury underscores the risks faced by civilians as armed violence unfolds near an election venue, particularly in an area where voters were exercising their right to participate in the first parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Election security forces monitoring situation
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC), Philippine National Police (PNP), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) were monitoring the situation, according to the initial report.
Authorities were expected to verify the circumstances surrounding the shooting, determine the identities of those involved, and assess whether the incident had any connection to the elections.
The reports remained preliminary as of publication, and no official detailed statement from the police confirming the identities of the armed groups or the motive behind the confrontation had yet been released.
Voters and residents in the area were urged to remain vigilant, avoid approaching areas where gunfire is being reported, and follow instructions from security personnel.
The incident comes as heightened security measures are being implemented across BARMM on Election Day amid concerns over armed violence, political tensions, and other security threats that could disrupt the region’s first parliamentary polls.
Further developments are being monitored as authorities work to secure the area and ensure the safety of voters, election workers, and residents.