TENSIONS are running high in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as violence, intimidation, and logistical issues raise concerns over the credibility of today’s midterm elections, an organization monitoring conflicts said.
Armed clashes, bombings, voter intimidation, and reports of disenfranchisement have marked the ten-day lead-up to the May 13 election across Maguindanao del Norte and Sur, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City, and surrounding provinces, Climate Conflict Action (CCAA) said in a Boto Bangsamoro report released on May 10.
On May 10, the eve of the final campaign day, firefights in Pandag, Maguindanao del Sur, left four dead, including a local councilor and a village captain’s son. The firefights, which started the night before and escalated in the morning, has also displaced 70 families, CCAA noted.
Hours later in Shariff Aguak, two soldiers were wounded after government troops clashed with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters. Fighter jets were later spotted over the area.
“Violence is being employed as a deliberate strategy to suppress voter turnout. Armed clashes fueled by political rivalries often lead to the displacement of residents, particularly supporters of certain parties,” CCAA told BusinessWorld in a Viber chat. “Many are forced to flee their communities and are unable to return on election day due to legitimate fears for their safety.”
“Despite the ongoing violence, people will still go out and vote because the stakes are high in this election. Given the current atmosphere, the presence of security forces is not enough. There must be meaningful reinforcement of laws such as the electoral gun ban and the Firearms Law (RA10951),” it added.
Earlier, around 30 teachers in BARMM backed out of election duties, while delays in the release of voting materials were also reported in some areas.
United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) candidate Esmail G. Mangudadatu, who is running for congressman, took to social media his frustration over delayed release of voting materials in Poblacion, Buluan, CCAA noted.
As on the morning of May 9, voting materials were released only in the municipalities of Datu Unsay, Shariff Aguak, Datu Hoffer, Ampatuan, and Datu Abdullah Sangki.
Authorities are also probing a spate of bombings, including one near the home of a vice-mayoral candidate in Datu Paglas and another outside a vice-gubernatorial candidate’s residence in Buluan.
In South Upi, home to many non-Moro Indigenous Peoples, missing voter names and malfunctioning ballot machines also stirred frustration.
A backup plan involving 41 spare automated counting machines (ACMs) remains in limbo as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has yet to clarify their distribution.
Trust in electoral institutions is already eroding ahead of election day, CCAA noted.
“The distribution of voting materials has been marked by tension, including reported confrontations among party supporters during the final testing and sealing of ACMs. In previous elections, voters witnessed deliberate delays in the delivery of materials — where one barangay received them late while another began voting on time,” it said.
“If similar issues occur again, particularly in areas like Buluan, we can expect heightened tensions, potentially escalating into various forms of violence.”
Separately in Lanao del Sur, incidents of alleged “flying voters,” or individuals voting outside their registered precincts, have stoked fears of electoral manipulation.
In Calanogas, a video circulated online showing masked men threatening to kill suspected flying voters. In Maguing, 20 suspected outsiders were reportedly beaten.
The Philippine National Police confirmed the deployment of at least 700 officers to Marawi City and closed major access roads to prevent election interference, CCAA noted.
In Cotabato City, MILF’s armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, reportedly entered from nearby towns, adding to the already volatile atmosphere.
BARMM was supposed to hold its first Parliamentary elections today, but due to a Supreme Court ruling last year excluding Tawi-Tawi from the region, it was moved to Oct. 13. — Chloe Mari A. Hufana
