Comelec suspends COC filing for BARMM polls

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC) for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections amid the continued absence of a new redistricting law.

In a memorandum dated December 22, Comelec moved to postpone the period for the filing of COCs for the inaugural parliamentary polls initially slated to be held from January 5 to January 9, 2026.

The Bangsamoro elections is scheduled for March 30, 2026.

"The Commission hereby resolves to suspend the January 5-9, 2026 period of filing of COCs for the 2026 BARMM Parliamentary Elections and to fix the filing of the COCs in due time after the enactment of the parliamentary districting by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA)," the memorandum reads.

The Comelec earlier this month said it is “in a quandary” and very worried over the non-passage of a new redistricting law by the BTA, which shall serve as the basis for the parliamentary elections.

It can be recalled that the Supreme Court (SC), in October, ordered the postponement of the Bangsamoro elections originally scheduled on October 13 after it declared two districting laws—Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts (BAAs) 58 and 77—by the autonomous government as unconstitutional.

The 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.

The SC also asked the BTA to pass a redistricting bill and directed the Comelec to continue its preparations and conduct the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections no later than March 31, 2026. However, the Comelec said it may still wait for the approval of the new law until November 30.

Following the lapse of the November 30 deadline, the BTA said it is eyeing to pass a new redistricting law by the end of the year. —VAL, GMA Integrated News