Poll watchdog backs Comelec suspension of BARMM polls preps

A poll watchdog on Thursday expressed support to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) over its decision to suspend preparations for the 2025 Bangsamoro elections in light of the Supreme Court’s issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the implementation of a Bangsamoro Act that reallocated seven parliamentary districts previously assigned to Sulu.

In a statement, the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) said the Comelec is “correct in asserting that neither BAA 77 nor the repealed BAA 58 can serve as a legal foundation for the parliamentary district elections scheduled for October 13.” 

“IEMC strongly urges the SC, Comelec and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to immediately resolve the outstanding legal issues surrounding the Regional Parliamentary Elections in the BARMM so that the elections can proceed on October 13, or at the earliest possible date thereafter,” the organization said. 

“It is crucial to emphasize that repeated postponements of elections in the BARMM undermine the integrity of the electoral process and erode the public's trust in elections as a vital means of citizen expression and representation in governance,” it added. 

On Wednesday, the poll body announced it is suspending its preparations for the first-ever parliamentary polls in compliance with the TRO issued by the SC enjoining the Comelec, the BTA and all persons acting under their authority from implementing the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. (BAA) 77, pending the final resolution of the case.

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.

Asked if the October 13 polls will proceed, poll chief George Erwin Garcia said that it is still uncertain. 

“Ang Comelec ay walang kapangyarihan mag-fix ng date ng election. Only Congress can fix the date of the elections. Kung ma-reset as a consequence ng TRO at pag-suspend namin in compliance sa TRO, wala kaming mao-offer na sagot kung kailan yung halalan kung sakali,” he said. 

(The Comelec has no authority to fix the date of the election. Only the Congress can do that. So if the elections will be reset as a consequence of the TRP or the suspension of the preparations in compliance with the TRO, we cannot offer a definite date.)

“Mananatili naka-suspend lahat ng ginagawa natin until the TRO is lifted or until the SC issues a final ruling sa case involving the legality of BAA 77,” Garcia added. 

(All of our preparations will be suspended until the TRO is lifted or until the SC issues a final ruling on the case involving the legality of BAA 77.)

BARMM polls

The first-ever Bangsamoro polls was reset from May 12 to October 13, 2025 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.  in February signed into law the measure postponing the first-ever parliamentary elections. 

The suspension came months after the SC, in September 2024, upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but declared that Sulu was not part of BARMM. The Court denied motions seeking the reversal of the decision in November 2024.

The SC ruling necessitated the redistribution of the seven vacated seats originally allocated to Sulu under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. The BTA issued BAA 77 in August but Comelec said it will not implement the law due to “lack of material time” for the preparations. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News