COMELEC Confirms Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections to Push Through in October | People’s Press PH

By Sherman Calotes | Philippine People's Press 

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has officially affirmed that the highly anticipated Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections will proceed as scheduled in October, putting to rest speculations of a possible postponement.

COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia made the announcement amid circulating rumors suggesting a delay in the region's first-ever parliamentary polls. Garcia emphasized the poll body’s full commitment to conducting the elections on time, underscoring ongoing preparations and continuous coordination with local Bangsamoro leaders.

“We are ready. The elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will push through this October,” Garcia said in a media briefing. “There is no more reason for delay.”

One of the key issues currently being addressed is the reallocation of seven parliamentary seats originally designated for the province of Sulu. The controversy stems from Sulu’s rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) during the 2019 plebiscite, raising questions about whether the province should still be represented in the BARMM Parliament.

Garcia called on Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof “Hooky” Macacua to make a final decision on the matter by the second week of June. “If we receive no decision by then, we will proceed with the elections for the 73 parliamentary seats, excluding the disputed seven,” Garcia stated.

The COMELEC chair also assured the public that the election will strictly follow the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. In a recent meeting with Bangsamoro Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, the poll body discussed not only the legal framework for the parliamentary elections but also a proposed plebiscite that could reshape local governance in Maguindanao del Norte.

The plebiscite aims to divide the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat into three separate cities a move that could be included in the October ballot if cleared in time.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Macacua has reiterated his strong support for pushing through with the elections, scheduled on October 13. The official election period will run from August 14 to October 18, with the campaign period set from August 28 to October 11.

The Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections are seen as a crucial milestone in the full implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, offering the region’s citizens an unprecedented opportunity to elect representatives under a parliamentary system designed to reflect the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people.

With preparations now in full swing, COMELEC is ramping up coordination efforts with stakeholders on the ground to ensure a peaceful, credible, and inclusive electoral process.

(Source: Commission on Elections, photo Courtesy Bangsamoro information office)

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