The inaugural parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been severely compromised by reports of pre-shaded ballots and escalating violence. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) was forced to place Cotabato City and Maluso under its direct control after discovering that ballots in 36 precincts were tampered with before voting even began. This discovery necessitated an emergency airlift of new ballots from Manila, causing significant delays and raising concerns about whether the polling could be completed in a single day. Meanwhile, the atmosphere on the ground turned chaotic as automatic gunfire erupted at a local elementary school, forcing voters and observers to scramble for cover, while separate reports confirmed a deadly explosion in Cotabato City just hours before the polls opened.

Beyond the logistical failures and security threats, observers and civil society groups have raised alarms over widespread vote buying and the influence of traditional political dynasties. With reports of voters being paid to support specific candidates and "command votes" being enforced by local power brokers, there is growing skepticism regarding the legitimacy of the process. Advocacy groups like Katungod Bangsamoro have stressed that these historic elections were intended to signal a departure from the region's history of armed conflict and patronage politics. However, the prevalence of intimidation and financial influence suggests that the region remains trapped in old political patterns, threatening the very essence of the autonomy promised to the Moro people.