Historic, record-turnout BARMM poll winners proclaimed

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday officially released the final results for the historic first regular Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, with no single party capturing an absolute majority to form a government outright.

The election results yielded a hung 80-seat parliament, leaving the competing factions short of the 41-seat threshold needed to select a chief minister before the inaugural session scheduled for 30 October.

Election officials conducted the formal proclamation of winning candidates on Tuesday evening at the 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Awang, marking the official transition from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to an elected regional legislature.

In the race for the 40 seats allocated to regional political parties, the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), led by interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, secured 16 seats after capturing 35.86 percent of the vote.

The United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the political arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, followed closely with 32.44 percent of the vote to secure 15 seats.

The BARMM Grand Coalition placed third with 20.68 percent of the vote, earning eight seats, while the Raayat Democratic Party secured one seat with 3.64 percent.

Eight other political parties failed to reach the required threshold.

In the district races covering 32 parliamentary seats, the BFP secured victory across 15 districts, including a four-seat sweep in Tawi-Tawi, three seats each in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Basilan, two in Cotabato City, and none in Lanao del Sur or the Special Geographic Area.

The UBJP claimed 11 district seats, dominated by five wins in Lanao del Sur, two in the Special Geographic Area, and single district seats in Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Basilan and Cotabato City.

Meantime, the Social Action and Integrity for Progress party won four seats in Lanao del Sur, while the Itihad party and an independent candidate won one district seat each in Maguindanao del Sur and Maguindanao del Norte, respectively.

Eight seats were designated for sectoral representatives to complete the 80-member assembly.

The UBJP secured six of those seats during the general election, representing the youth, women, Ulama, traditional leaders, and two settler community slots.

The remaining two sectoral seats were filled by Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples representatives Leticio Datuwata of the Lambangian Tribe and Jo Genna Jover of the Teduray Tribe, who were chosen through a separate assembly process.

Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia reported that voter turnout reached a record 84.34 percent, with 2,018,478 out of 2,393,000 registered voters casting ballots.

Garcia cited that this participation rate surpassed previous national turnout records, citing improved voter education, heightened civil society engagement, and increased electoral transparency.

Also, Philippine National Police Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated that security operations will remain heightened across the region through the end of the election period on 29 September.

While law enforcement foiled several disruptions and substituted trained police officers for withdrawn election inspectors, authorities continue to investigate isolated gun attacks and explosions reported in Basilan, Cotabato City, and Maguindanao del Sur.