Historic First Parliamentary Elections Underway in Philippines' Bangsamoro Region

Army soldiers check the flow of vehicular traffic along the highway in Marantao town, Lanao del Sur province, southern Philippines, on September 13, 2026. Nearly 2.4 million voters in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are casting their ballots in the region's inaugural parliamentary elections since its establishment in 2019.

Monday's historic vote represents a vital milestone toward self-governance following decades of conflict and violence in the Muslim-majority area. Voters will decide 80 seats in the legislative body, comprising 40 political party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. The region's chief minister will subsequently be chosen by the parliament during its opening session.

While election officials targeted a voter turnout of at least 80 percent after years of delays, pre-election violence disrupted preparations. The chairman of the Commission on Elections, George Garcia, announced that Cotabato City was placed under commission control following a Sunday night shooting that claimed three lives and injured 15 individuals. Additional incidents in Cotabato City included an improvised bomb blast and gunfire with no reported injuries.

Furthermore, Maluso town in Basilan was placed under commission control after authorities discovered pre-shaded ballots across 36 of 68 precincts. George Garcia confirmed that replacement ballots were ordered immediately, though voting in those specific areas will face delays. He also warned that individuals attempting to engage in vote-buying or violence will face prosecution.

Polling locations are scheduled to close at 7pm local time (11:00 GMT). This election concludes the transition period overseen by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), an interim administration established following the 2014 peace agreement that led former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters to demobilize in pursuit of regional autonomy rather than a separate state.