Polling stations closed Monday across the Philippines' autonomous Bangsamoro region in a historic election for the first parliament in the predominantly Muslim area. Local officials hailed the process as a success despite sporadic violence.
The election marks the culmination of a fragile peace process that began in the late 1990s and led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, in the far south of the country.
More than two million voters were eligible to elect 80 representatives, whose seats were previously held by appointed officials.
Election officials declined to estimate voter turnout but had previously predicted it would reach "at least 80 percent."
"I think the people of Bangsamoro have shown their courage today," said Philippine Election Commission Chairman George Garcia before the polls closed. "Whether there were armed clashes or other disturbances, or even fistfights, it doesn't matter. The election is taking place."
The vote count began Monday evening, but the date for the final results remains unclear.
The process is complicated by a request from voters in one town in Basilan province to hold a revote on Tuesday after ballots were found with pre-marked boxes next to the names of some candidates.
- Excitement mixed with anxiety -
In Marawi City, long associated with bloody clashes between government forces and jihadist groups, AFP journalists observed long lines of voters outside polling stations, while tanks and security personnel patrolled the area.
"We're excited. We came here early this morning," said 18-year-old Mohammad Akhtar Macapada after casting his vote.
"I'm nervous about the possibility of chaos. There was chaos before, but now it's calm," he added. "I'm eager to know the results."
In Cotabato, the provincial capital in the south, 22-year-old engineering student Mark Martírez said he hoped the incoming members of parliament would not "waste the people's votes."
"I see the rapid development of infrastructure in Bangsamoro... but I am still not satisfied with what I see in terms of security," he added.
Party leaders told AFP last week that, given the region's long history of political violence and bloody feuds between powerful families, holding peaceful elections would be a success.
But the fragile calm began to unravel in the early hours of Monday.
- Shooting -
Three people were killed and 15 others wounded in a shooting outside a polling station in Cotabato City, the provincial capital, just hours before voting began.
Cotabato Police Chief Jibin Bongcayao said the shooting occurred shortly before midnight when members of different political factions jostled to be first in line to vote.
“It started with a dispute between two groups over a place in the queue,” said Bongcayao regarding the incident outside a polling station in the regional capital. “It then escalated from a scuffle to a fistfight, ending with gunfire in a crowded area.”
At least 14,000 members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Liberation Front (BILF) remain armed.
Authorities said four people, including a police officer, were shot at another polling station shortly before 7:00 a.m. (23:00 GMT Sunday). One of them later died.
Another man was killed when an improvised explosive device he was carrying detonated, according to authorities.
These acts of violence prompted the election commission to take the extraordinary step of directly overseeing law enforcement operations in Cotabato throughout the election period.
In recent days, security measures have been reinforced across Bangsamoro, with more than 20,000 security personnel deployed in polling areas and rapid response teams established to deal with any potential violence.
Commission Chairman George Garcia said he was confident there would be no "election failure" despite the violence.
"It's not easy," he added. "It's full of challenges."
Garcia continued, "What's important is to show our determination to end this day peacefully while enabling people to cast their votes."
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