Comelec: P1.2-billion wasted due to 2025 BARMM polls reset

Some P1.2 billion in public funds were wasted following the postponement of the 2025 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Thursday. 

Of the amount, at least P500 million was allocated to the printing of the 2.3 million official ballots for the inaugural parliamentary polls, according to Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia.

"To my understanding, it will be P1 billion and above because kasama diyan ang printing ng balota at rental. Maaaring 'di pa kami nagbabayad pero may milestones 'yan eh. Hindi lang bigla pero may partials so maaaring nakapag-procure na tayo ng mga gamit," said Garcia in a media briefing. 

(To my understanding, it will be P1 billion and above because it included the ballot printing and rentals. We may have not paid them fully but we paid for some of the milestones for the procurement.)

"'Yung deployment, hindi naman magde-deliver sa hubs nang walang initial payment. May deployment budget na kami na nagastos. More or less, aminin natin lahat 'yun ay mababalewala," he said.

(We also used some of our deployment budget because our paraphernalia would not be delivered in our hubs without an initial payment. More or less, that would all go to waste.)

The Supreme Court (SC) on Wednesday ordered the postponement of the Bangsamoro elections originally slated on October 13 and declared as unconstitutional the Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts (BAAs) 58 and 77, the two districting laws by the autonomous government.

BAA 77, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Act of 2025, amended BAA 58 and redistricted the vacant seats in light of an SC decision excluding Sulu from the autonomous region.

"Hindi po kami magfa-file ng motion for reconsideration. Kami po ay tatalima kaagad sa directive ng ating Kataas-taasang Hukuman ganoong ang ating Kataas-taasang Hukuman na po ang nag-provide ng date kung kailan ang susunod na [Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections]," he said. 

(We will not file a motion for reconsideration. We will immediately adhere to the directive of the Supreme Court, which already provided a date for the next polls.)

The SC also directed Comelec to continue its preparations and conduct the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections no later than March 31, 2026, and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to determine the parliamentary districts for the inaugural elections until October 30, 2025.

"We will highly appreciate at ito po ay kino-convey namin in public na sana po ma-consult din naman ang Comelec sa gagawin nila na districting. Hindi para maimpluwensyahan sila sapagkat it's a pure, absolute discretion of the [Bangsamoro] Parliament… para po marinig 'yung panig ng Comelec," said Garcia.

(We are conveying this in public. We will highly appreciate it if we are consulted in the districting, not to influence the parliament, but for them to hear our concerns.)

"We will definitely extend our help, assistance to the Bangsamoro Parliament and we are very much willing to fully cooperate and coordinate with them," he said.

With the resetting, the poll body is now targeting to hold the filing of certificates of candidacy, and reconfiguration of the automated counting machines (ACMs) to be used for the BARMM elections in January and the printing of ballots in February 2026. 

A new redistricting law

For its part, the BTA said it will adhere to the SC directive and will immediately work in crafting a new redistricting law. 

"While we are saddened by the delay of this historic parliamentary election, this period grants us the opportunity to strengthen the integrity of our democratic process. It allows us to ensure that our inaugural elections will be conducted with full constitutional and legal fidelity, thereby safeguarding the political rights and aspirations of the Bangsamoro people," the BTA added.

The Bangsamoro polls were reset from May 12 to October 13, 2025 after President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. in February signed into law the measure postponing the 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 the Comelec said it would not implement the law due to "lack of material time" for the preparations. — VDV, GMA Integrated News