Election-related violence in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has been a growing concern in recent months.
Violent incidents have been reported across various provinces, often tied to political rivalries and clan feuds.
Maguindanao has been highlighted as a hotspot for violence, with killings linked to political disputes. Clan feuds, known locally as “rido,” have evolved from land disputes to politically motivated conflicts due to the lucrative nature of government positions.
On March 28, Maceda Abo, the newly appointed Commission on Elections officer in Maguindanao del Norte province, was killed along with her husband in an ambush in Datu Odin Sinsuat municipality. The violent incident occurred despite the gun ban during the election campaign period.
Two weeks later, on April 14, another ambush took place along the same highway in Barangay Brar, Datu Anggal Midtimbang town in Maguindanao del Sur.
The victim, a candidate for board member of the province, survived the armed attack. He believes the attack was intended to keep him from pursuing his candidacy.
In Lanao del Sur province, a barangay chairperson was killed on April 9. Binhar Julambre Alon Jawad of Barangay Baraas in Picong town was fatally shot by still unidentified assailants while on his way to attend the graduation ceremonies of his son.
101.5KrOn April 19, three hand grenades were lobbed near the municipal hall of Buluan, the capital town of Maguindanao del Sur, wounding a resident of a barangay in Mangudadatu municipality in the province.
One grenade exploded inside the municipal hall compound and damaged a car parked there. A witness claimed that grenade attack was aimed at killing the chairperson of Barangay Poblacion who was a relative of the current political leaders in the province.
Amid all these, the Armed Forces of the Philippines has deployed three battalions of its troops in BARMM to ensure peaceful and credible elections in the area.
The deployment came as the Commission on Elections placed two towns in the Maguindanao provinces under its direct control. The Comelec is also monitoring dozens of areas flagged for security concerns in the Bangsamoro region.
A non-government organization, Conflict Climate Action, has monitored a rise in election-related violence in previous elections, with 242 incidents recorded during the May 2022 elections and 273 during the Oct. 2023 barangay elections.
The violent incidents in BARMM in previous years appear to be turning up as well in the 2025 midterm polls.
In fact, the chairman of the NGO, Pancho Lara, in a recent media forum, expressed serious concern there could be more violence in the region in the lead-up to the May midterm polls and even in the BARMM parliamentary elections in October.
