MANILA, Philippines – The predominantly Muslim region of Bangsamoro in the southern Philippines conducted its first-ever elections for a regional parliament on Monday and Tuesday. This marks a significant step towards self-governance, following years of delays and stemming from a long history of insurgency and violence.
Despite challenges, officials reported a turnout exceeding 80%. However, election-related violence resulted in five fatalities in the regional capital. To address suspected attempts at fraud, polling was extended to a second day in some areas.
Over 20,000 soldiers and police officers were deployed to ensure the security of the electoral process. Voters are electing 80 members for the regional parliament, who will subsequently choose a chief minister. The results are anticipated by the close of Tuesday.
In Maluso town on Basilan island, voting was extended for a second day in 36 out of 86 precincts due to the discovery of pre-filled ballots. New ballots were printed and distributed late Monday for the approximately 16,000 affected voters, with polls remaining open until 7 p.m. on Tuesday.
Erwin Garcia, the Chairman of the Commission on Elections, praised the high voter turnout and stated that those responsible for the attempted cheating would face charges of election sabotage. He remarked earlier that the elections "stand on generations of Bangsamoro struggle for homeland, identity, and self-determination, in the face of dispossession, marginalization, conflict and sacrifice."
The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was established in 2014 under a peace agreement, superseding an older autonomous region with a larger, more empowered entity. It has been governed by an appointed transitional administration comprising former guerrilla leaders since its inception.
The largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, renounced its quest for independence from the largely Roman Catholic Philippines in exchange for expanded autonomy. The group's 40,000 fighters committed to demobilization and reintegration into civilian life.
The region encompasses five provinces, three cities, and 63 additional villages, and is home to nearly 2.4 million registered voters.
Since the 1970s, the southern Philippines has experienced approximately 150,000 combatant and civilian deaths, with development significantly hampered in the nation's poorest region. Mindanao was once considered a sanctuary for al-Qaida and the Islamic State group, known for bombing attacks and kidnappings, until a U.S.-backed Philippine military offensive diminished the militants' presence.
In May 2017, the city of Marawi was besieged by IS-affiliated militants, leading to five months of ground combat and airstrikes that resulted in over 1,100 deaths, predominantly militants, and devastated the city's commercial and residential districts.
"Whoever wins, hopefully we will see change," said Sittie Ashuya L. H. Omar, a 22-year-old voter from Marawi city. "Hopefully they can implement their promises."