Il Nuovo Postiglione - Philippine Muslim enclave heads to polls after deadly shooting

The polls are the culmination of an on-off peace process that began in the late 1990s and established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the country's far south.

More than two million voters are eligible to vote for 80 parliament seats being contested by 13 parties. Election officials have predicted a high turnout.

In Marawi, a city long identified with a bloody showdown between government forces and jihadists, AFP journalists saw long lines of voters peacefully queued outside polling stations with armoured vehicles and security personnel standing watch.

"We're excited. We came here early in the morning," Mohammad Actar Macabada, 18, told AFP after casting his vote.

"I'm nervous because there might be chaos. Before, there was chaos. Now it's peaceful," he added. "I'm excited for the results."

In regional capital Cotabato to the south, 22-year-old engineering student Mark Martirez said he hoped that incoming leaders would not "waste the people's votes".

"I see the (BARMM's) rapid growth infrastructure-wise ... But I'm still not satisfied with what I see regarding security," he said.

Given the region's long history of political violence and blood feuds between powerful families known as "rido", a peaceful election would be considered a success, party leaders told AFP last week.

But the fragile peace showed cracks in the early hours of Monday.

- Fatal shooting -

Gunfire erupted outside a polling station at a Cotabato school before polls opened, killing three people and wounding 15 others.

Police chief Jibin Bongcayao said the shooting took place just before midnight as members of rival factions jostled for the right to cast their votes first.

"It started as a struggle for position in the queue between two groups," Bongcayao said.

"Eventually gunfire broke out in a crowded area."

Bongcayao said the men had belonged to parties that have emerged from a split in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the group that spent decades battling Manila for regional autonomy in the predominantly Catholic country.

At least 14,000 men pledged to the group remain under arms.

At another polling station, four people, including a police officer, sustained gunshot wounds just before 7:00 am (2300 GMT Sunday), authorities said.

Another man -- initially believed to have died in hospital -- was wounded when an improvised explosive device he was carrying exploded, authorities said.

The country's national election commission, COMELEC, said on Monday morning that it would take direct control of Cotabato for the election's duration.

Security has been stepped up across the BARMM in recent days, with more than 20,000 security personnel fanning out in voting areas, and quick response teams assembled to address potential violence.

COMELEC chief George Garcia said he was certain there would be "no failure of the election" despite the incidents of violence.

"This is not like a walk in the park," he said. "It's full of challenges."

"What is important is to show our determination to end this day in peace while being able to vote."

Polls are set to close at 7:00 pm.

burs-cwl/hol

H.Zampino--INP