SHORT-TERM OBSERVATION STATEMENT | Joint ANFREL–NDI Technical Assessment Mission for the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections

SHORT-TERM OBSERVATION STATEMENT | Joint ANFREL–NDI Technical Assessment Mission for the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections

Posted by ANFREL With 0 Comment In Mission Reports, The Philippines

Read the full statement here: “Short-term Observation Statement | Joint ANFREL-NDI Technical Assessment Mission for the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections“

Executive Summary

The Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL) and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) congratulate voters for their strong participation in the historic and long-awaited elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)’s Parliament. Despite a highly polarized environment, heightened security risks, and serious instances of violence in the lead-up to and on election day, the elections marked a long-awaited milestone toward the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people after multiple postponements. The mission takes note of the reported 84.34 percent voter turnout as a sign of the Bangsamoro people’s desire to advance the political track of the peace process. At the same time, it calls on the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), to ensure greater transparency by providing information on reported irregularities, particularly longstanding concerns around controlled voting, which should be taken into account when assessing the extent to which turnout reflects the free and genuine participation of voters.

The mission commends the COMELEC, the Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO), and its deputized agencies, such as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and other security forces, for their commitment to enabling the people to exercise their right to suffrage. The mission also recognizes the role of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU), together with established peace mechanisms, in helping manage tensions, prevent escalation, and safeguard the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process throughout this historic electoral transition. The mission acknowledges the teachers and other Electoral Board (EB) members who served under difficult and, at times, dangerous conditions, and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE), the National Citizens’ Movement for Responsible Elections (NAMFREL), the Independent Election Monitoring Center for BARMM (IEMC-BARMM), as well as media and other civil society organizations for promoting an inclusive and transparent electoral process.

ANFREL and NDI deployed a team of 25 members, including international observers and local support staff, from September 9 to 18, for the second phase of their joint Technical Assessment Mission (TAM) to the first BARMM Parliamentary Elections (BPE). The TAM observed the campaign and silent periods, the final testing and sealing (FTS) of automated counting machines (ACMs), and election day processes in 103 polling precincts across Cotabato City, Marawi City, Lamitan City, Bongao, and select municipalities in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA). All observers for this joint mission were accredited by COMELEC and adhered to the Declaration of Principles (DoP) for International Election Observation and accompanying Code of Conduct. This adherence guaranteed high standards of impartiality, objectivity, and transparency.

However, necessary risk prevention measures, which included prior security clearance and approval of election day itineraries, avoidance of areas of concern labeled “red” by COMELEC, and limited travel after dark, confined the observation to more accessible and safer cities and municipalities. The mission made efforts to reach out to a diversity of stakeholders, but acknowledges that its findings may not fully reflect the experience of voters across BARMM, especially those in far-flung areas.

The mission noted that the immediate pre-election environment saw an active campaign and clear preparations from election officials, but also increasing violence and intimidation, and lingering concerns about voters’ abilities to receive sufficient and accurate electoral and political information. On election day, the process in precincts observed by the mission was generally calm and transparent, bolstered by poll watchers, observers, and media contributing to the visibility of electoral proceedings. Women were well-represented among Electoral Board members and as poll watchers and observers and also participated in large numbers as voters. Poll watchers from competing sides were present in several of the precincts observed. In addition, special polling places were set up for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). The mission also notes positively the transparent and well-attended canvassing process, with political parties present, as well as the timely transmission and announcement of election results.

However, observers reported security, administrative and procedural shortcomings that undermined the process in some areas. This included logistical delays in delivery of election materials, ineffective implementation of early voting hours, skipped indelible ink checks and non-voters feeding ballots into counting machines. Most notably, poll watchers regularly overstepped their roles by actively guiding voters while ballots were being marked. These violations weakened safeguards protecting ballot secrecy, voters’ control over their ballots, and the independent expression of their choices. The bulk of election-related security incidents were concentrated in Cotabato City, with at least five deaths and over 20 injuries reported on September 13 and 14. The mission deeply regrets the loss of lives and reiterates its call for all stakeholders to exercise restraint and refrain from any further acts of violence as political negotiations continue and the incoming Parliament is sworn in.

Looking ahead, the mission calls for accountability and targeted reforms in election operations, accessibility, and security. Political actors should recommit to peaceful democratic governance and participation, to publicly call on supporters to exercise restraint and to raise any grievances through established legal and peace mechanisms. COMELEC and relevant law enforcement agencies should investigate credible electoral violations and ensure transparent follow-through, while strengthening Electoral Board training, safeguards for ballot secrecy and assisted voting, accessible polling arrangements, and voter information. A post-election security review should address gaps that enabled violence and intimidation and strengthen the protection of voters, election personnel, observers, media, and other electoral stakeholders, ensuring that every voter can express their will freely and safely.

Election Safety and Security

As cautioned in the mission’s pre-election assessment report, increased political polarization between Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-linked political networks of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), rido (clan feuds), private armed groups, and extremist remnants heightened the risk of violence in the elections. That risk materialized with tragic consequences.

The most serious violence occurred in Cotabato City, where multiple shootings and explosions on September 13 and 14 left five people dead and at least 20 injured. These involved two separate explosions and a shootout on the eve of elections. On election day, a shooting incident inside the Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School that injured at least three people caused widespread panic among voters. The escalation prompted the COMELEC to place Cotabato City under control as early as 6:45 AM. Several other shooting and gunfire incidents near or within voting centers were reported by media and observed separately by LENTE, NAMFREL, and PPCRV. At noon, a partisan disturbance involving the destruction of vehicles outside the Sero Central Elementary School voting center caused further panic among voters. Despite COMELEC control and heavy security deployment, these incidents suggest deliberate attempts to disrupt voting rather than isolated events.

Outside of Cotabato City, one of the significant incidents involved an armed confrontation between UBJP and BFP supporters using high-powered firearms that injured a bystander in Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Maguindanao del Sur. In other areas, security preparations appear to have mitigated the risks assessed in COMELEC’s EACs. Lanao del Sur, which accounted for the highest number of EACs, saw no major reported violence on election day.

The contrast between the number of election-related incidents in Cotabato City and Lanao del Sur holds an important lesson. The designation of EACs appears to have underestimated the risk in the regional capital, the political center of the contest between UBJP and BFP. As COMELEC explained, the classification of EAC is largely based on the history of past electoral violence. Future risk assessments should weigh current political dynamics alongside historical and independent monitoring data.

The mission observed extensive security planning and coordination for the EACs. The OPAPRU and established Government of the Philippines (GPH)-Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace mechanisms also played an important preventive role. Their value was evident when tensions rose shortly before election day. Security forces intercepted an armed MILF convoy in Lanao del Norte prompting Abdullah “Commander Bravo” Macapaar to respond by objecting to police and military entering MILF areas without coordination. Dialogue through the Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) helped defuse the situation. The episode underscored the continuing importance of functioning peace mechanisms alongside conventional election security deployments.

Security forces were deployed in large numbers across the region, and observers noted the heavy presence of uniformed personnel in most voting centers visited. Despite the gravity of the violence surrounding the elections in the areas described above, the vast majority of polling proceeded without direct incident. The mission urges the COMELEC, AFP, and the PNP to ensure that security deployments strictly adhere to their protective mandates and enforce the gun ban without exception, regardless of political or clan affiliation. A post-election review should also identify both the measures that contributed to stability in high-risk areas and the gaps that allowed violence to escalate in Cotabato City, while strengthening measures against intimidation and controlled voting. Ultimately, election security must protect not only physical safety, but the free and individual expression of every voter’s will.

Broader Political Participation and Representation

Despite a 30-percent gender quota in the lists fielded by Regional Parliamentary Political Parties (RPPPs), only five of the 40 MPs elected through proportional representation are women. With no requirement in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code for RPPPs to alternate between men and women on their nominee lists, most women were placed in unwinnable positions far down the party list—an issue flagged in the mission’s pre-election assessment. In the 32 district races, only two women were elected, while women secured three of the eight sectoral seats (including one specifically reserved for women). Ten of the 80 members or 12.5 percent of the incoming Parliament will be women, maintaining the exact same proportion as the outgoing transitional parliament and falling well below international standards.

Women played a major role in the conduct of the election, including as Electoral Board members, as poll watchers and observers. Women’s participation in campaign activities was also evident. This strong participation should be reflected in greater and more meaningful representation in Parliament. To this effect, the incoming legislature should consider additional provisions, including a mandatory zipper system for party lists, broader advocacy, and stronger internal party rules to ensure that women have a fair chance at entering public life.

The introduction of reserved seats for sectors for the BARMM parliament is a positive and broadly accepted provision, especially among members of said sectors. However, as cautioned in the pre-election assessment, the results reaffirmed the uneven electoral playing field that grassroots sectoral organizations faced in campaigning for elections held at large against established political parties with vast machinery and resources. The mission calls on the newly elected MPs representing the sectoral seats and their political party to adopt open, consultative, and participatory approaches to ensure that the voices and concerns of the diverse sectors and grassroots organizations continue to influence legislation and policies affecting them.

Accessibility also remains a concern, with provisions in most voting centers and precincts found to be insufficient. The majority of the precincts were reported to be inaccessible without special assistance for voters who have limited mobility. This was in part alleviated by the COMELEC’s establishment of Accessible Polling Places (APP) and Priority Polling Places (PPP) for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant voters in many voting centers. However, it highlights the need for further efforts to streamline accessibility and provide reasonable accommodation for vulnerable voters, in line with international standards and the Philippines’ commitment to enforce the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

The mission observed three special polling places for persons deprived of liberty (PDL-SPP). Despite resource and logistical constraints, security challenges in retrieving ballots from clustered precincts, and evident unfamiliarity among Special EBs and support staff with the procedures, the process ultimately secured PDLs’ right to vote. This feature of Philippine elections, carried through to the parliamentary elections in the BARMM, stands as a notable regional example of how to realize suffrage for persons deprived of liberty.

Campaign Environment

While stakeholders reported being able to campaign freely, as observed in the pre-election assessment, significant disparities remained in the visibility and scale of campaign activities, access to financial resources, and media exposure. Compliance with COMELEC rules on campaign materials also appeared limited, with posters and other materials widely displayed outside designated common poster areas. Differences in resources were particularly noticeable in the conduct of large-scale and resource-intensive grand rallies, which were predominantly organized by major political parties. Persistent allegations of vote buying and abuse of state resources also remained a concern, alongside the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated synthetic content in campaigning and voter education and the circulation of false information online, particularly in the lead-up to election day.

The mission did not observe any violations of the silence period on September 13, either in person or online.

Voter Education and Awareness

As highlighted in the mission’s Pre-Election Assessment Report, voter education remained insufficient and inaccessible, especially to vulnerable voters and those living in far-flung communities. Despite last-minute efforts by COMELEC and the BEO to expedite dissemination of voter information materials, the success of these efforts, including the level of reach and usage of the content, should be reviewed to ensure reach and accessibility of critical voter education, especially to vulnerable and far-flung communities. Several voters the mission spoke to during the short term observation were unaware of the Voter Information Sheet (VIS) that each voter should have received. Notable efforts were also made by the media and parties, mainly through Facebook, highlighting the three tiers of votes and how party seats were filled. However, language barriers, geography, and internet connectivity once again may have left out the most vulnerable groups from accessing this vital information. The mission also observed the use of artificial intelligence by political parties and media in voter education materials, and noted with caution the importance of transparency on the use of AI to ensure adherence to electoral rules.

In the lead-up to election day, circulation of fake news and unverified narratives about the election intensified. The mission acknowledges COMELEC’s prompt responses to some through the release of fake news advisories; these earlier interventions against fake news, from the very onset of the election announcement, are necessary to protect voters and the public from misleading narratives. The mission recommends that the COMELEC activate and initiate the ‘Task Force KKK (Katotohanan, Katapatan, Katarungan) sa Halalan’ as soon as elections are announced, and especially once campaign periods officially begin.

The large proportion of voters who do not fully exercise their suffrage to choose sectoral representatives – between 9 percent for traditional leaders and at least 21 percent for settler communities – also indicates insufficient voter education about the new electoral system and the different options available on the ballot.

Final Testing and Sealing (FTS)

On September 12, the mission deployed ten teams to monitor the Final Testing and Sealing (FTS) of ACMs. Most teams witnessed transparent processes that reinforced confidence in the electoral process, in the presence of poll watchers from different political parties in many of the voting centers visited.

However, observers reported delays in the conduct of the FTS, last-minute changes in the composition of EBs, and the non-appearance of assigned EB members during the FTS in several locations, most notably in Cotabato City. These developments occurred amid broader challenges in staffing Electoral Boards (EBs) across the region, with COMELEC reporting that more than 800 public-school teachers assigned to election duties across BARMM had withdrawn or were unable to serve. In Cotabato City alone, 137 teachers did not appear during the FTS, requiring their substitution by members of Special Electoral Boards (SEBs), including trained and certified police personnel. While the use of SEBs provided an important contingency mechanism, observers noted concerns regarding how substitutions were carried out during the FTS and whether the prescribed procedures for replacing and reconstituting EBs were consistently followed. Furthermore, EBs displayed varying levels of preparedness and training, and the Starlink equipment to be used for the transmission of results on election night was not systematically tested as it should have been.

Nonetheless, the FTS remains a strong integrity and transparency feature of the automated electoral system used in the Philippines. The COMELEC disclosed that all but two of the 5,212 clustered precincts across BARMM were able to finish the FTS on September 12, with the remaining two conducting it in the early hours of September 13.

Election Day

On September 14, ANFREL-NDI observers visited 103 polling precincts, spanning urban and rural areas of the mainland and island provinces of BARMM, Cotabato City, and the Special Geographic Area (SGA), to monitor election day processes. In Cotabato City, however, security considerations and related movement clearance restrictions prevented the mission from observing the closing process.

Our observation highlighted high voter interest and strong turnout throughout the day. Election day proceeded in a generally orderly manner in precincts visited, with observers reporting a largely transparent and calm voting process, although voting centers were at times overcrowded.

Only one of the ten precincts visited by the mission during the early voting hours opened at the scheduled time of 5:00 AM, with some opening as late as 8:14 AM due to logistical delays in the delivery of ballots and election materials. These holdups did not significantly impact the integrity of the electoral process, but rendered largely ineffective the COMELEC’s provisions for early voting between 5:00 AM and 7:00 AM for persons with disabilities, senior citizens, and pregnant and lactating voters.

While not mandatory, Voter Assistance Desks (VADs) were absent from most voting centers visited. Where present, PPCRV volunteers provided useful assistance to voters in locating their names and assigned precincts in the Posted Computerized Voters’ List (PCVL), particularly given the new clustering arrangements and difficulties encountered by some voters in identifying their assigned precincts.

Proceedings took place in the presence of poll watchers from political parties and candidates at nearly all precincts visited, and of domestic election observers or media in some, illustrating the transparent nature of the process and the participation of various stakeholders. However, observers found that safeguards on the number of poll watchers allowed inside precincts and their roles were rarely implemented. Widespread instances were observed of poll watchers or other individuals guiding, instructing, or otherwise intervening while voters marked or handled their ballots. Such practices risk undermining the secrecy and independence of the vote, as voters must retain sole control over their ballots and be able to make and express their choices without interference or undue influence. While some instances appeared to stem from insufficient understanding of the rules or concerns about voters making errors in an unfamiliar electoral process, rather than an apparent intention to influence their choices, clearer guidance and more consistent enforcement by EBs are necessary to ensure that assistance does not cross into interference with voters’ exercise of their rights.

This phenomenon was enabled by factors such as the inadequate layout of polling precincts in the Philippines to ensure ballot secrecy–which ANFREL has consistently highlighted in previous elections¹; the absence of posted guidelines to instruct voters about the new electoral system; and the consideration that electoral boards (EBs) themselves may have been intimidated by poll watchers to intervene.

Other procedural irregularities included EB members or poll watchers feeding ballots into automated counting machines (ACMs) instead of voters, observed in a majority of precincts visited, as well as failures by EBs to check voters’ fingers for indelible ink. Observers also documented ballots being issued without the required authentication by the EB Chairperson’s signature, a failure that constitutes an election offense under the law. Observers also noted shortcomings in the application of safeguards for assisted voting, including verification of the voter’s authorization of the assistor and ensuring that assistance reflected only the voter’s instructions. More seriously, in three precincts, observers witnessed pre-shaded ballots being fed into ACMs or set aside by EBs, raising serious concerns of possible controlled voting.

With regard to the broader voting environment, open displays of vote-buying, such as free transportation or food and drinks provided to voters by political parties, were observed in about a dozen voting centers, while illegal campaigning and the presence of local government officials and armed personnel from the AFP and PNP within the immediate vicinity of polling places were also noted in some locations.

The mission finds that concerns of electoral malpractice raised by stakeholders ahead of election day persist today, while acknowledging that marked improvements in the administration of elections have been achieved in the region. Due to the mission’s limited scale, these findings should not be construed as a statement on the prevalence of such irregularities across the BARMM. At the same time, the issues highlighted above should also not overshadow the participatory and transparent nature of this historic election process.

Moving Forward

After decades of struggle, sacrifice, and a long wait for this historic moment, the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections belong, above all, to the Bangsamoro people. Their enduring significance will be measured not only by the conduct of the polls, but by the confidence of the people in the process and its outcomes, and by whether this milestone brings them closer to the peace and democratic future for which generations have worked.

Honoring that journey also means confronting the shortcomings and irregularities observed during these elections with transparency and accountability. The sacrifices that made this moment possible deserve nothing less. ANFREL and NDI stand with the Bangsamoro people as they continue to shape their own future and remain committed to supporting electoral integrity, democratic governance, and the hard-won gains of the Bangsamoro peace process.

ANFREL and NDI will continue to follow the remaining stages of the electoral process, including the Random Manual Audit (RMA) in Davao City, and undertake a post-election assessment examining the formation of the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament and the broader governance environment. The assessment will also consider the elections within the wider peace process. As this historic vote marks a major milestone in the political track, continued progress on normalization will be critical to consolidating the conditions for peaceful democratic governance and ensuring that the transition reflects the freely expressed will of the Bangsamoro people.

These assessments will inform the mission’s Final Report, expected by the end of October 2026, which will identify short- and medium-term reforms and recommendations on electoral integrity, democratic governance, political participation, and sustainable peace. Beyond BARMM, these first parliamentary elections represent an important milestone for the Philippines and the wider region, demonstrating the possibilities of transforming a decades-long conflict and negotiated peace agreement into democratic representation and functioning institutions. Safeguarding these gains will be essential to ensuring that this election serves as a foundation for lasting peace and meaningful self-governance.

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