Iqbal: UBJP holds true mandate' in BARMM elections

COTABATO CITY — Member of Parliament Mohagher Iqbal has claimed democratic victory for the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) following the inaugural Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, asserting that the party earned the genuine mandate of the electorate despite falling just short of an outright majority.

In an official statement released following the conclusion of vote canvassing, Iqbal, a senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)-aligned party, questioned the narrative surrounding rival party gains and framed the UBJP as the true victor of the historic polls.

Official Commission on Elections (COMELEC) tallies place the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) slightly ahead with 31 seats, while the UBJP captured 30 seats in the 80-member Parliament. Because neither party reached the 41-seat threshold required to form a government independently, the regional parliament faces intense coalition-building ahead of its inaugural session scheduled for October 30.

Claims of Popular Support and Fraud

Iqbal pointed to the party’s clean sweep across the reserved sectoral seats—including Women, Youth, Ulama, Settlers, and Traditional Leaders—as concrete evidence of the UBJP’s broad, cross-community popularity. He argued that all rival parties, including the government-backed BFP, were completely shut out in the sectoral races.

"To gauge the extent of the UBJP's popular support—and its capacity to win decisively—one need only look at how its sectoral candidates fared," Iqbal stated.

The MP alleged that the UBJP was denied a clear majority due to systemic electoral irregularities and vote suppression. He claimed that widespread "pre-shading of ballots" occurred in jurisdictions managed by local chief executives allied with the BFP, and argued that alleged cheating in Cotabato City prevented the UBJP from capturing two additional regional seats.

To reinforce his position, Iqbal cited earlier observations attributed to Cotabato-based legal analyst lawyer Benny Bacani, who remarked prior to the elections that defeating the UBJP would require opponents to resort to massive fraud and intimidation.

"Indeed, this happened, as opined," Iqbal added.

Outcry Over Poll Violence

The statement drew sharp attention to poll-related violence in Cotabato City, where election-day shooting incidents near polling centers left five people dead and over 50 wounded. Characterizing the bloodshed as a "massacre," Iqbal expressed grave concern that the perpetrators remain at large.

He noted that over 100 international and national election monitors were on the ground monitoring the polls. Iqbal expressed confidence that official and independent reports generated by these observer missions would validate claims of ballot tampering and voter intimidation.

Eyes on Coalitions and Investigations

With the election concluded, the UBJP leadership has formally appealed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and law enforcement agencies to conduct an impartial investigation into poll-related deaths and election irregularities across the region.

Despite the bitter exchange, Iqbal called on all newly elected parliamentarians to respect the institutions established under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) as the region prepares to elect its Chief Minister and Speaker next month.