Philippine Muslim enclave votes for parliament after deadly shooting

MARAWI, Philippines – Polls closed on Sept 14 across an autonomous Muslim region of the Philippines that had waited decades to choose its own leaders, with officials praising a successful election despite sporadic violence.

The parliamentary election was the culmination of an on-off peace process that began in the late 1990s and established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the country’s far south.

More than two million voters were eligible to vote for 80 Parliament seats that had previously been filled by appointees. Election officials declined to estimate turnout but had previously predicted “at least 80 per cent”.

“I believe that the Bangsamoro showed today that they are fearless,” Philippine elections commission chief George Garcia said before polls had closed. “Whether there be shooting or similar troubles, fistfights, it doesn’t really matter. They will vote.”

Canvassing was under way on the evening of Sept 14, though it was unclear when final tallies would be available.

Complicating the process was a town in Basilan province where voters will be asked to vote again on Sept 15 after ballots with “pre-shaded” boxes next to some candidates’ names were discovered.

‘Excited’ but nervous

In Marawi, a city long identified with a bloody showdown between government forces and jihadists, long lines of voters peacefully queued outside polling stations with tanks and security personnel standing watch.

“We’re excited. We came here early in the morning,” said Mohammad Actar Macabada, 18, who had just cast his vote.

“I’m nervous because there might be chaos. Before, there was chaos. Now, it’s peaceful,” he added. “I’m excited for the results.”

In regional capital Cotabato further south, 22-year-old engineering student Mark Martirez said he hoped that incoming leaders would not “waste the people’s votes”.

“I see the (BARMM’s) rapid growth infrastructure-wise... But I’m still not satisfied with what I see regarding security,” he said.

Given the region’s long history of political violence and blood feuds between powerful families known as “rido”, a peaceful election would be considered a success, party leaders told AFP last week.

But the fragile peace showed cracks in the early hours of Sept 14.

Fatal shooting

Gunfire erupted outside a polling station at a Cotabato school before polls opened, killing three people and wounding 15 others.

Police chief Jibin Bongcayao said the shooting took place just before midnight as members of rival factions jostled for the right to cast their votes first.

“Eventually gunfire broke out in a crowded area,” he said.

Bongcayao added the men had belonged to parties that have emerged from a split in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the group that spent decades battling Manila for regional autonomy in the predominantly Catholic country.

At least 14,000 men pledged to the group remain under arms.

At another polling station, four people, including a police officer, sustained gunshot wounds just before 7am (local time), the authorities said. One of them later died.

Another man died after an improvised explosive device he was carrying exploded, the authorities said.

The violence led the elections commission to take the extraordinary step of taking direct control of law enforcement in Cotabato for the election’s duration.

Security has been stepped up across the BARMM in recent days, with more than 20,000 security personnel fanning out in voting areas, and quick response teams assembled to address potential violence.

Garcia said on Sept 14 he was certain there would be “no failure of the election” despite the incidents of violence.

“This is not like a walk in the park,” he said. “It’s full of challenges.”

“What is important is to show our determination to end this day in peace while being able to vote.” AFP