The first-ever parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro region is over, and by most accounts, it has been a success.
A successful vote in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao means there were no serious complaints of poll fraud after the winners were announced. Four people were killed and 15 wounded in poll-related violent incidents in Cotabato City. But in the BARMM, this allows authorities to describe the situation as relatively peaceful.
One troubling incident, however, deserves a thorough probe, because it can be repeated in the 2028 general elections. In the town of Maluso in Basilan, the supposedly sealed ballot boxes were opened and about 16,000 ballots – nearly half of the town’s voting population – were found to be pre-shaded.
The discovery of the pre-shaded ballots prompted the Commission on Elections to postpone the vote in 36 of the 68 precincts in Maluso as new ballots were flown in. Comelec Chairman George Garcia said an ongoing probe could lead to criminal indictments for electoral sabotage – an offense that could warrant life in prison and normally does not allow bail.
Garcia is also seeking Comelec custody of ballot boxes. Under the law, once the Comelec sends out ballots nationwide, these are placed in the custody of the city or municipal treasurers instead of local Comelec offices. The treasurers are employees of the local government, whose chief executives are elective officials.
In Maluso, the ballot boxes were placed in the custody of the municipal treasurer at the town hall. The premises were supposed to be secured by the police, with the area outside guarded by soldiers. But on the eve of the vote, security officers were reportedly prevented from entering the municipal hall.
Ballots are packed in plastic and then placed in a box before being distributed nationwide. Garcia has said the ballot boxes are sealed against tampering, but a perfunctory look at the packaging will show that it can be relatively easy to cut into the box and get the ballots for pre-shading.
Hiding the tampered ballots will be difficult. But without layers of counter-checking, such pre-shaded ballots might make it undetected to the automated vote counting machines. Lawmakers should consider the Comelec’s appeal for full custody of ballot boxes.
Another danger is digital manipulation of the vote – an accusation that was hurled during the 2022 general elections.
Concerned groups and vote watchdogs must work with IT experts to ensure that the 2028 elections, which will be held amid a deeply polarized political environment, will be free of tampering, whether manually or through digital means.