Gun-related violence continue to pose a threat of the election peace and order in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the latest was the ambush on the convoy of Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua in Maguindanao del Norte on Saturday afternoon, April 15.

And the Climate Conflict Action Asia (CCAA) is calling for more intervention from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and other security forces as it warned that clan wars are risking further violence ahead of the BARMM parliamentary elections on Sept. 14.

While the clashes between two major feuding clans in Central Mindanao are not related to the BARMM polls, the alarming part, according to the CCAA, is that the two groups involved have aligned themselves to contesting parties in the upcoming elections.

“The continued displacement of residents poses concerns in their ability to vote freely and safely on election day,” the CCAA said, referring to the recent clash in Kadayangan town in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in BARMM that displaced almost 2,000 residents.

SGA is a collection of 63 barangays in Cotabato that voted to join the BARMM during the 2019 plebiscite. They were organized into eight towns, including the town of Kadayangan.

“It has likewise been observed that campaign activities in the area have been sparse due to fears that openly supporting one party could be perceived as aligning with the group. This potentially exposes residents to further tensions or retaliations.,” the group said.

The CCAA highlighted the importance of PNP and AFP interventions early this month, “The deployment of security forces in the first week of August could have contributed to the relative peace observed so far.

The augmentation of security personnel, including the deployment of elite troops in the region, is a welcome sign that measures are being undertaken to secure the polls,” it added.

Ambush

So far, the CCCA recorded 10 gun-related violence from July 30 to Aug. 12 while the Commission on Elections earlier declared that there are around 100 areas of concern in BARMM.

Police earlier said it has not recorded election-related violence and so far, the PNP is investigating to determine whether or not the ambush on the convoy of Macacua is election related.

Police recorded no casualty during the gun attack but the incident exposed the level of security intervention required to secure peace in BARMM.

The PNP said it is coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and other concerned agencies to establish what happened and gather the necessary information for the investigation.

“At this time, we will not speculate on the motive, including whether the incident is election-related. The circumstances will be determined through the proper investigation. For now, our focus is on maintaining peace and order and ensuring the safety of the people in the area,” the PNP statement read.

“As the investigation progresses, the PNP will work to identify those who may be responsible and ensure that appropriate action is taken in accordance with the law and due process,” it added.

Challenge

The CCAA said while all the security measures have been contributing to peace and order, it said those interventions are sort of measures that only provide a temporary reprieve from violence.

“The challenge is to sustain this relative calm beyond the elections, particularly in areas where long-standing conflicts remain,” it said.

The PNP assured that it has been working with Comelec and other stakeholders in keeping communities safe and helping ensure a peaceful and orderly electoral period in the region.

“We ask the public to remain calm and rely on verified information as the concerned agencies continue to address the situation,” it said.