Legarda welcomes historic Bangsamoro polls, condemns violence

Sen. Loren Legarda —Photo from her office MANILA, Philippines — The Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on Sept. 14 were a “historic first step” to self-governance in the region, Sen. Loren Legarda said in a statement.

“After generations who endured conflict and uncertainty, the people held in their hands the most powerful instrument of democracy—the ballot. Every vote cast carried with it the hopes of a people who have fought long and hard for peace, dignity, and the right to shape their own future,” Legarda said.

She is a co-author and co-sponsor of the measure that became Republic Act No. 12317, which set the first regular parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). She also served as co-chairperson of the Philippine Congress–Bangsamoro Parliament Forum (PCBPF) and chairperson of its Senate panel, the institutional mechanism for cooperation and coordination between the Philippine Congress and the Bangsamoro Parliament.

The exercise paved the way for the transition from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to the region’s first elected Parliament.

“For many years, the Bangsamoro peace process was carried forward through negotiations, agreements, legislation, and the difficult work of building institutions. The September 14 elections gave the Bansamoro people the opportunity to choose their leaders under the parliamentary system envisioned for the region. That achievement deserves recognition and protection,” she stressed.

Legarda condemned, however, the violence surrounding the vote, with two shooting incidents in Cotabato City that left four people dead and 18 others wounded, according to Chairman George Garcia of the Commission on Elections.

“At the very moment when the Bangsamoro people were exercising their right to choose their leaders, lives were lost, and families were left grieving. I condemn these acts in the strongest terms,” Legarda said.

“There’s no room for violence and threats in elections borne out of a long peace process and the recognition of the Bangsamoro’s right to govern its own region. No political ambition, rivalry, or disagreement can justify violence. The will of the people must be determined by their votes, never by fear, intimidation, or force,” she added

Legarda called on election authorities and law enforcement agencies to investigate the incidents of violence, protect affected communities, and ensure that accountability follows wherever the evidence leads.

She also urged candidates, political leaders, and their supporters to respect the results and refrain from actions that could further endanger communities or undermine public confidence in the electoral process.

“The measure of this historic election will not end when the last ballot is counted. It will be measured by whether communities become safer, whether children have greater opportunities to learn, whether families can build dignified livelihoods, and whether the people of Bangsamoro, regardless of faith, ethnicity, or political affiliation, can see themselves represented in their government,” Legarda said.

READ: Unfinished peace process: What’s next after BARMM polls?

She urged Congress to remain a committed partner of the elected Bangsamoro Parliament.

“We reached this historic moment because generations of Filipinos, especially the Bangsamoro people, chose, again and again, to believe that peace was possible. Some of them did not live to see this election. We honor their sacrifices by protecting what has been built and by ensuring that democracy takes deeper root in the Bangsamoro,” she said.

Legarda also congratulated the newly elected members of the Bangsamoro Parliament.

“I congratulate the newly elected members of the Bangsamoro Parliament on the trust and confidence placed in them by the Bangsamoro people. As the first elected leaders of the Parliament, you have the unique opportunity to help shape this new chapter in the region’s history. I trust that they will honor that mandate through principled, inclusive, and responsive leadership,” Legarda said.

“For my part, I will continue to work with the Bangsamoro Parliament and our partners in government to strengthen the institutions of self-governance, advance peace and development, and help build a safer and more prosperous future for the people of the Bangsamoro. The work does not end with this historic election. We must continue it together,” she added. /atm