MANILA, Philippines — Senators have condemned the violence and reported irregularities that marred the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate the incidents and ensure the integrity of the polls.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said Tuesday that he was “deeply appalled and dismayed” by the violence and reports of fraud, which he said had cast a “dark shadow” over the historic elections.
“Matagal na itong hinintay ng Bangsamoro people, at pagkatapos ng apat na postponements, this election should finally have been a celebration of democracy and self-determination, not a battleground or a source of further bloodshed,” he said in a statement.
(The Bangsamoro people have waited a long time for this, and after four postponements, this election should finally have been a celebration of democracy and self-determination, not a battleground or a source of further bloodshed.)
Zubiri, a native of Bukidnon and among the lawmakers who pushed for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), said violence, intimidation, and fraud should not be allowed to deprive Bangsamoro voters of their right to choose their leaders.
Zubiri’s statement came after at least four people were killed and 20 others injured in shooting and other violent incidents during the elections, prompting the Comelec to place Cotabato City under its direct control.
READ: Violence, fraud mar BARMM elections on a ‘lesser scale’
There were also reports of electoral irregularities in several areas, including preshaded ballots, shortages of ballots in some precincts, allegations of voters casting ballots multiple times, and individuals allegedly using the names of voters who had yet to cast their ballots.
Despite the incidents, Zubiri commended Bangsamoro voters who still went to the polls and exercised their right to vote.
He, along with Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, urged the Comelec to thoroughly investigate credible reports of irregularities and ensure that only legitimate votes are included in the final count.
Zubiri likewise called on the Bangsamoro government and the Philippine National Police to act swiftly on election-related violence.
Meanwhile, Go, who also condemned the incident, expressed sympathy for the families of those killed and injured.
READ: Comelec: BARMM ERs now 97.79% on Tuesday morning
According to him, the Bangsamoro people had endured decades of conflict in their struggle for self-determination and urged authorities to ensure that the sacrifices behind the peace process would not be wasted.
“Nananalangin ako na ang resulta ng halalang ito ay tunay na magsasalamin sa kapasyahan ng mga botante sa rehiyon. Nananawagan tayo sa Comelec na tiyakin ang integridad ng election returns at ang kaligtasan ng mga election personnel habang nagpapatuloy ang canvassing ng mga resulta,” he added in a statement on Monday.
(I pray that the results of this election will truly reflect the will of the voters in the region. We call on COMELEC to ensure the integrity of the election returns and the safety of election personnel as the canvassing of results continues.)
Moreover, Sen. Robin Padilla said the incidents were particularly troubling as the region conducted its first parliamentary elections.
“Hindi dapat nauuwi sa dugo at karahasan ang halalan,” he said in a Facebook post on Monday.
(Elections should not end in bloodshed and violence.)
“Ang bawat Bangsamoro ay may karapatang bumoto ng ligtas, malaya at nabibilang ang boto,” Padilla added.
(Every Bangsamoro has the right to vote safely and freely, and to have their vote counted.)
The first BARMM parliamentary elections will determine the 80 members of the region’s Parliament, which will later elect the chief minister.
The polls marked the completion of the political track of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the peace deal between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front after 17 years of negotiations. /jpv
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