Coalition talks may be needed to choose the first elected chief minister of the Muslim-dominated autonomous region in the southern Philippines, with unofficial results suggesting no single bloc is on course to dominate the new 80-member parliament.
The race has largely been shaped by rival camps that emerged from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the former separatist movement that negotiated autonomy with the Philippine government.
One is led by longtime MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, the other by Abdulraof Macacua, a former MILF commander appointed interim chief by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr in 2025.
With 98.56% of votes counted in the party-list race, the camp aligned with Abdulraof led with 35.2% of votes, ahead of the bloc associated with Murad with 32.4%.
This is according to partial and unofficial results from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting, a church-backed election watchdog.
A third party, the BARMM Grand Coalition, has 20.5% so far and could hold the balance of power in coalition negotiations.
Benedicto Bacani, executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, a policy research group focused on autonomy and governance, said neither camp appeared likely to secure the 41 seats needed for a majority, making coalition-building essential.
He said cooperation between rival MILF factions would be the best outcome for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao because it could strengthen peace and political stability.
“The best scenario for me is the unification of the MILF,” he said.
The election drew about an 80% turnout, according to election officials, with roughly 1.8 million votes cast from 2.39 million registered voters.
Voters elected party, district and sectoral representatives who will make up the 80-member parliament. — Reuters
