Palace disputes poll-related deaths allegations in BARMM

Malacañang on Monday denied claims by a conflict monitoring group that dozens of recent deaths in Mindanao are linked to upcoming elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), saying authorities found the violence stems mostly from personal conflicts.

Responding to a report by Climate Conflict Action Asia alleging that 235 people were killed from January to July, including 28 deaths supposedly tied to the upcoming regional elections, Undersecretary Claire Castro cited reports from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) clarifying that the incidents were not election-related.

“According to Comelec, those cited issues of violence are not election-related; these are personal conflicts,” Castro said during a press briefing Monday.

Castro stressed that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is committed to ensuring peaceful and safe parliamentary elections in the region on 14 September.

She added that the Philippine National Police welcomed the conflict monitor’s report to help verify figures and refine ground data.

To secure the region, the Philippine National Police () has deployed 8,299 personnel to the area, with plans to augment forces as needed by the election body.

Security operations remain focused on dismantling private armed groups and enforcing political neutrality among personnel through joint security control centers alongside the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.

The upcoming September vote marks the first regular parliamentary elections under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

Voters will choose 80 members of the Bangsamoro Parliament — comprising 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives — who will serve until 30 June 2031 and subsequently elect the region’s chief minister.