COTABATO CITY / MALUSO, Basilan — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has placed Cotabato City and Maluso, Basilan under Comelec control as the Bangsamoro region holds its historic first parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14, amid reported violence and serious ballot irregularities.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the decision came after a series of security incidents in Cotabato City, including explosions reported Sunday night and a shooting incident that left three people dead and 15 others injured.
Garcia said no casualties were reported in connection with the explosions. However, the separate shooting incident resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, raising concerns over the safety of voters, election personnel and political watchers in the city as voting began.
The security situation remained tense into Monday morning.
Gunshots were reportedly fired in the vicinity of the Cotabato City Pilot Central Elementary School early Monday as voters arrived to participate in the first parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The incident caused commotion at the polling center, with voters and watchers reportedly leaving the school premises because of concerns that the area was not yet safe.
Initial reports also indicated that four people were injured in a shooting outside the polling center at the Cotabato City Central Pilot School. Authorities were expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether it was connected to the broader election-related violence reported in the city.
The developments prompted heightened security measures as authorities worked to prevent further violence and protect the integrity of the electoral process.
36 precincts in Maluso affected by pre-shaded ballots
In Maluso, Basilan, the problem confronting election officials was different but equally serious.
Garcia said ballots intended for 36 of the municipality’s 68 precincts were found to have already been pre-shaded before being used in the voting process.
The Comelec ordered the reprinting of the affected ballots to prevent potentially compromised ballots from being used during the election.
Garcia emphasized that the incident did not constitute a failure of elections.
However, voting in the affected precincts will be delayed because replacement ballots must be produced and transported from the National Printing Office in Manila to Zamboanga, and subsequently from Zamboanga to Basilan.
The logistical process means that voters assigned to the affected precincts may have to wait longer before they can cast their ballots.
The ballot issue is particularly significant because the September 14 elections mark the first time voters in the Bangsamoro are directly choosing members of the Bangsamoro Parliament under the region’s parliamentary system.
The Comelec’s decision to reprint the ballots is intended to protect the credibility of the vote and prevent the use of ballots whose integrity has already been questioned.
Election officials face twin challenges
The developments in Cotabato City and Maluso highlight the security and logistical challenges confronting election authorities during the inaugural BARMM parliamentary elections.
In Cotabato City, the concern is primarily security, following explosions, a deadly shooting incident and another reported shooting near a polling center on election morning.
In Maluso, the immediate concern is the integrity and availability of ballots after a substantial number were reportedly found pre-shaded.
Despite the problems, the Comelec has maintained that there is no failure of elections in the affected areas.
Instead, authorities are implementing measures intended to allow voting to proceed while addressing security threats and replacing compromised ballots.
The Comelec and security agencies are expected to closely monitor the situation throughout election day, particularly in areas where violence or other incidents could disrupt voting.
For voters, the unfolding incidents underscore the importance of maintaining calm and allowing election authorities and security personnel to perform their duties while investigations into the reported incidents continue.
The first BARMM parliamentary elections are being closely watched as a major milestone in the region’s transition to a parliamentary form of government. The ability of authorities to ensure that voters can cast their ballots safely and that every vote is protected from interference will be central to the credibility of the historic exercise.