The first-ever parliamentary election in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has been rescheduled to March next year, according to the Commission on Elections.
The Comelec said the postponement was due to a ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) declaring laws pertinent to the redistricting of the BARMM as unconstitutional.
‘There will be a Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, the first in history, to be conducted on March 31,’ Comelec Chairman George Garcia announced at a press conference yesterday.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said it respects the SC ruling that voided the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act 77, which mandates the redistricting of the BARMM, and the BAA 58, which provided for the creation of parliamentary districts.
‘The Office of the President recognizes that this ruling is a pivotal step in ensuring that the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will be conducted on the firmest constitutional and legal foundations,’ Malacañang said in a statement released on Wednesday night.
The government vowed to support all constitutionally mandated institutions to ensure that the democratic aspirations of the Bangsamoro people are realized within the framework of the Constitution and the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
After declaring the BAA 77 and BAA 58 unconstitutional, the high tribunal ordered the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to pass a new law distributing the parliamentary districts by Oct. 30, and the Comelec to conduct the BARMM elections not later than March next year.
Garcia said the Comelec does not intend to appeal the SC decision and will comply with the order.
While the redistricting is left to the discretion of the BTA, Garcia said the poll body is ready to help and cooperate for the passage of a new law.
He said the Comelec has five months to prepare for the BARMM parliamentary election.
Garcia said the poll body is planning to hold the filing of certificates of candidacy in January and the ballot printing in February.
While waiting for the passage of a new law, Garcia said, the Comelec would take back all election materials including ballots that have already been deployed to the BARMM.
He said at least P1 billion including the P500 million for the printing of ballots had gone to waste due to the suspension of the Bangsamoro elections.