The Western Foundation for Democracy in the Philippines, the United Kingdom body “committed to promoting global democracy,” continuously advocates for a fair, transparent, and peaceful historic parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro region in May 2025.
As the election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is approaching, the WFD noted that integrity in elections is often lacking. Thus, the WFD said, they are stepping up their initiatives to raise awareness through dialogues and address the matter among concerned groups.
CIVIL society organizations and journalists from Mindanao and Davao City and 14 political parties from BARMM, with the PRO-BAR and the Philippine Army 6th Infantry Division, attend a dialogue at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City from Nov. 16 to 18 for the Bangsamoro parliamentary election in 2025. (Ivy Tejano)
Over 30 civil society organizations (CSO) members and journalists from Mindanao and 14 of the 16 political parties from BARMM, with special participation of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro and the Army 6th Infantry Division, attended a dialogue over the weekend at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City.
Dubbed “Safeguarding the Bangsamoro Votes vis-a-vis Protecting the Election Defenders” under a program on building coalitions and more robust parliamentary engagement, WFD representative Cynthia Guerra said they hope to establish a system that works for everyone.
“Integrity in the elections at the BARMM is always a challenge, as it is beyond fraudulent voting, inaccurate recording, destroying evidence (and many to mention),” Jeve Alferez, WFD Communications and Programme Delivery manager, said.
Alferez said ensuring election integrity, especially in the BARMM during its parliamentary election, is also about safeguarding votes and protecting people and organizations against threats, intimidation, harassment, and assault. She added that the dialogues aim to come up with a resolution.
“We are having this dialogue because integrity in elections is missing. Hopefully, we can be part of the movement striving to achieve integrity in the upcoming elections. We also have the media as one of the key instruments in further strengthening our electoral integrity,” Alferez said.
Selahuddin Hasim, CORE civil society organization lead convenor, emphasized their role in their community, the election, and the Bangsamoro peace process. He said CSOs in the BARMM are pivotal in promoting democratic governance, peace-building, and development.
Hasim cited activities that CSOs undertake to ensure election integrity in BARMM, such as voter education and awareness campaigns, election monitoring and observation, capacity building and collaboration, advocacy for transparent electoral processes, and combating disinformation.
Lerio Bompat–Kulayan, executive director of iMinds Philippines and ABS-CBN correspondent in Cotabato City, presented before participants a pre-recorded video of journalists who encountered challenges in their field of work in BARMM.
Kulayan said that they were doing their duties and media should remain apolitical and there should be openness, transparency, and trust in the process between the media, the CSOs, and the political leaders in the BARMM.
The discussion became intense among the media, CSOs, and political leaders when Kevlar or bulletproof vests was proposed for journalists covering the BARMM. Some political leaders said that the vests should not come from any politician in the region.
Political leaders suggested that it would be best if non-government organizations donate the Kevlar vests and other protective gear to journalists to remain apolitical in their field of work which everyone agreed.
Mediamen suggested to political leaders to craft a law that would provide life insurance and ensure their safety as most of them, if not all, do not have this from the company they are working for.
A political leader vowed to look into the matter and discuss with colleagues how they could contribute to the safety of journalists and CSOs.
Journalists from the Bangsamoro and Davao City and CSO members pinpointed significant concerns that influence coverage and how to address the concerns to ensure fair, transparent, and elections.
Jamal Latiph Hadjiusman, an election lawyer and strategist who discussed legal protection for the frontliners of democracy, enumerated that among the common types of election violence in BARMM are assassinations, bombings, armed intimidation, and ballot destruction.
He talked about the BARMM electoral ecosystem, categorized into a cultural matrix, including maratabat, clan, and traditional, as well as economic nexus, which includes vote buying and family, among others.
Hadjiusman emphasized the significance of a partnership with the Commission on Elections in the election, collaboration with the police and military, voters' education alliance, police-recognized identification cards, multi-agency coordination, and pre-election covenant, among others.
He advised journalists to avoid any situation that may endanger their lives. He said it would be best for journalists who want to cover the BARMM region to always coordinate with the proper government authorities and agencies and the news outlet must be recognizable.
Atty. Rasol Mitmug, a member of the BARMM Regional Political Parties, talked about how political parties protect electoral integrity in the region, which includes mandatory activities, monitoring, and conducting inner party activities.
Philippine Army 6th Infantry Division assistant commander Brig. Gen. Nasser Lidasan and PRO-PRO-BAR Regional Operations Division head Police Col. Jibin Bongcayo discussed the role of the military and the police during the dialogue with the media.
Lidasan admitted that there are still threat groups in some parts of the region. He said there are local terrorist groups capable of conducting atrocities and unscrupulous politicians who are just observing and waiting for a chance. He added that rido or clan wars paint a bad image of the BARMM.
Bongcayo echoed Lidasan and said that rido affects the elections as some of the members of these groups have their candidates. He also shared the challenges encountered by the PNP and attributed them to existing loose firearms.
Lidasan and Bongcayo said authorities are doing their best to maintain peace and order in the region, especially in the election. They said their offices have been preparing for the polls.