Cotabato city: A voter sustained minor injuries from shrapnel when a suspected improvised explosive device detonated backstage at the Cotabato City Central Pilot Elementary School, which was serving as a voting center for the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on Monday. The incident occurred at approximately 4:15 p.m., according to Cotabato City Police Office Director Colonel Jibin Bongcayao, who provided details during a radio interview.

According to Philippines News Agency, the explosion took place while some voters were still inside the precincts. The injured man, who had just cast his vote, received immediate medical assistance from staff members of the Philippine Red Cross. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Earlier in the day, at 6:45 a.m., unidentified gunmen opened fire on voters within the same school campus, injuring three people, including a police officer. In light of these events, Cotabato City, the capital of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, has been placed under the control of the Commission on Elections due to violence reported both before and during the polling period.