Palace respects SC issuing TRO vs. Bangsamoro Autonomy Act

Malacañang on Wednesday said it respects the decision of the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against the implementation of a Bangsamoro Act, which reallocated seven parliamentary districts initially assigned to Sulu.

''Kung iyan po ang desisyon ng Supreme Court, iyan naman po ay igagalang. Kung ano po ang inuutos ng Supreme Court, magku-comply naman po ang pamahalaan,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said in a briefing. 

(If that's the decision of the Supreme Court, we will respect that. Whatever the Supreme Court's directive is, the government will comply.) 

The SC said the TRO enjoins the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), and all persons acting under their authority from implementing the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. (BAA) 77, pending the final resolution of the case.

The BAA No. 77 or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Act of 2025 amended BAA No. 58 and redistricted the vacant seats in light of an SC decision excluding Sulu from the autonomous region.

To recall, it was in 2024 when the High Tribunal held that Sulu is not part of the Bangsamoro Region.

The SC ordered the Commission on Elections and the BTA to file their comment within a non-extendable period of five days from notice.

For their part, Comelec chairperson George Garcia said the En Banc would discuss the TRO on Wednesday. —VAL, GMA Integrated News