Bangsamoro voters continued to cast their ballots Monday as the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) faced isolated incidents of violence and election-related problems.
The Comelec reported that 98.1 percent of polling precincts opened successfully, despite violence in Cotabato City that left three people dead and 15 wounded, and pre-shaded ballots discovered in 36 precincts in Maluso, Basilan.
The Comelec placed both areas under its direct control, ordered the reprinting of affected ballots in Maluso, and extended voting hours in Basilan to make up for delays.
More than 20,000 police and military personnel were deployed across the region as authorities maintained that the overall conduct of the elections remained generally peaceful.
The polls, involving nearly 2.4 million registered voters, will determine the 80-member parliament that will choose the BARMM chief minister and mark the transition from the interim government to an elected regional administration.
Source: PhilNews24 | September 15, 2026
