COTABATO CITY, Philippines – A fierce firefight has been raging in the village of Bugawas, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, following a series of heavy gunfire since 4 am on Monday, November 6. 

The violence is believed to be election-related and is considered a continuation of previous election-related conflicts in the village where two people were killed and several others were hurt during the grassroots elections on October 30.

Baba Abas, the outgoing barangay chairman of Bugawas, said many villagers have fled, while others remained trapped in their homes due to the violence, which is ongoing as of posting time. 

Abas said the ongoing violence is a continuation of the hostilities that have plagued Bugawas during recent elections.

The violent clashes in Bugawas came on the same morning when Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim met with hundreds of barangay and Sangguniang Katabataan (SK) officials in Cotabato City. 

The village of Bugawas was marred by similar violence during the previous week’s barangay and SK elections, where two men were killed and five others wounded as armed groups clashed in front of a polling precinct on Election Day, October 30.

Lieutenant Colonel Esmael Madin, the police chief of Datu Odin Sinsuat, said the October 30 clash was primarily between rival factions in Bugawas, a village with a history of election-related violence. The killings took place just hours before the opening of polling precincts.

The town of Datu Odin Sinsuat has long been associated with a local political dynasty in Maguindanao del Norte.

Meeting with Murad 

Meanwhile, in Cotabato City, Chief Minister Ebrahim led 592 newly elected barangay and SK officials in the BARMM, and the region’s Special Geographic Area (SGA) within Cotabato province who took their oath of office and pledged to uphold moral governance in their respective villages. 

The ceremony took place at the BARMM’s Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center in the Bangsamoro Government Center.

Ebrahim said that “moral governance” aims to eliminate corruption, graft, and illegal drugs from the government and society, with a focus on promoting peace and security. 

Following the oath, a memorandum circular was issued by BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo, mandating local government training for elected village officials and facilitating the transition teams for fiscal and physical accountabilities from the previous administrations. 

A mandatory training program for all SK officials was also announced.

Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao, who graced the ceremony, expressed hope that the event would mark a new chapter for the city. 

He emphasized the importance of reconciliation and bridging divisions, especially given the recent tensions related to the city’s inclusion in the BARMM.
Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua underscored the importance of addressing issues such as corruption and the proliferation of illegal drugs starting from the barangays. – Rappler.com