Comelec to hold mock elections for BARMM polls in July

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct mock polls for the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on July 26.

At a stakeholders’ briefing on the 2025 BARMM polls on Friday, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia reiterated that the parliamentary elections will push through on October 13. 

“The Comelec will proceed with the conduct of the elections in the Bangsamoro by October 13, and that is very clear,” Garcia said. 

The Bangsamoro polls were rescheduled from May 12 to October 13 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in February signed the law postponing the elections.

The postponement came months after the Supreme Court (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. However, the Bangsamoro government has yet to issue a decision on the reallocation. 

“At this point, how can the Comelec comply with the 80 coming from Sulu? The Comelec doesn't have the power to reapportion…In the meantime, we are proceeding with our preparation based on 73 seats,” Garcia said. 

The poll chief also said the Comelec is eyeing repositioning certain forces of its deputized law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Marines, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard, as part of peacekeeping operations during the 2025 Bangsamoro polls and to neutralize any armed groups who may disrupt said elections.— VBL, GMA Integrated News