14 September 2026. As voting is underway for the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections, the joint Technical Assessment Mission (TAM) of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) continues to closely monitor developments across the region through the deployment of international election observers, media and online reports, and sustained engagement with a diversity of stakeholders.
The ANFREL-NDI mission is gravely concerned about the rapid and widespread escalation of violence surrounding the BARMM Parliamentary Elections, and urgently calls on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, refrain from any further acts of violence, and allow the people of the Bangsamoro to freely participate in the region’s historic first elections.
In light of the developing security situation, the joint TAM further calls on the COMELEC and the concerned security authorities to provide timely and regular public information on conditions in affected areas. The public should be clearly informed whether voting can safely continue, what measures are being taken to protect voters, Electoral Board members and support staff, and what arrangements are being made for the voting centers affected by the delays or disruptions.
From the eve of the elections through mid-day on Election Day, September 14, several shooting and explosive incidents were reported in Cotabato City, leaving three dead and more than a dozen wounded. Following the opening of polls, further instances of gunfire, violence, and intimidation were reported in Cotabato City, as well as in parts of Basilan and Maguindanao del Sur. The security situation remains volatile, but voting continues and the determination of the Bangsamoro people to exercise their democratic rights remains evident.
The immediate priority must be to prevent further loss of life and ensure that violence does not undermine the hard-won gains of the Bangsamoro peace process. These elections are an important milestone in translating years of peacebuilding and political transition into meaningful democratic participation. ###
John Reiner Antiquerra
Mission Coordinator for Operations, Outreach and Communications
john@anfrel.org / anfrel@anfrel.org
+63 923 932 5237 / +63 917 816 3343
