Federalist party takes early lead in first BARMM parliamentary polls

National

THE first votes counted in the Bangsamoro’s historic parliamentary elections placed the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) at the top, with 181,246 votes in the regional party race.

Initial tallies released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed the BFP ahead of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, with 135,932 votes. The BARMM Government Coalition (BGC) followed with 102,891.

The BFP is headed by Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, who also won a parliamentary seat representing a district covering parts of Cotabato City and several barangays in nearby areas of Maguindanao del Norte province.

Up to 14 BFP candidates won parliamentary seats in the region’s 32 districts, defeating rivals from other parties in Monday’s first Bangsamoro parliamentary electoral exercise.

The Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) received the first electronic transmission of votes from BARMM at 7:08 p.m. Monday. Its analytics showed Tawi-Tawi posting the highest vote completion rate at 41 percent as of 7:20 p.m., followed by Maguindanao del Sur at 30.51 percent, Maguindanao del Norte at 26.67 percent, Basilan at 24.53 percent, the Special Geographic Area at 19.85 percent and Lanao del Sur at 14.97 percent.

PPCRV data also showed Marjanie Macasalong leading the traditional leaders’ sectoral race with 335,443 votes, followed by Sultan Pax Mangundadatu with 240,452 and Panga Ibay with 129,745. In the Ulama sector, Muhammad Nadzir Ebil led with 330,011 votes, followed by Alibasher Abdullatif with 283,382 and Marhan Borhan with 216,200.

As of Tuesday morning, Sept. 15, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said 1,168 of the 1,186 polling centers, or 98.48 percent, had completed voting.

“We are keeping our personnel engaged and our lines of coordination open until the remaining election activities are completed,” he said in a Philstar report.

More than 10,439 police personnel were deployed in BARMM, including 5,045 who secured voting centers.

Despite election-related violence, Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento described the polls as relatively successful and said voting was orderly in most areas. He also said the death toll was lower than in previous elections held in areas that formerly comprised the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

At least three people were killed and 20 others, including three police officers, were wounded in shootings and other violence during the elections.

Four people were reported killed and 19 injured in Cotabato City, while authorities recorded 14 election-day incidents across the region, including shootings, an explosion, commotions, firefights and a strafing incident.(MyTVCebu)