NEWS
14June
BARMM Capitol
COMELEC prepares for 1st BARMM Parliamentary polls
- Jun 14, 2025
- Al Iskandar, Luwaran
- HITS: 707
As contained in the Comelec Resolution 11149, the gun ban is from August 14 to October 28, and the campaign period is from August 28 to October 11, and a ban on the release of public funds in the region, except for medical or burial assistance, is from October 3 to 13.
The Comelec set October 8 to 12 as the final testing and sealing of the automated counting machines that will be used for the BARMM.
November 12 is the last day to file a statement of contributions and expenditures.
The region comprises the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Lanao del Sur; the cities of Marawi, Lamitan, and Cotabato; and eight towns from 63 villages in eight North Cotabato towns dubbed as Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (SGA).
Member of Parliament Atty. Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod, chair of the Committee on Amendments, Revision and Codification of Laws, said they will hold a public hearing for the reconstitution of the parliamentary districts in the BARMM and the reapportioning of the seven parliamentary seats allotted to Sulu, as a result of Sulu’s exclusion from the region.
The committee hearing is set on Monday, June 9, at the BTA Parliament Building, Bangsamoro Government Complex in Cotabato City, she said in a letter dated June 5, a copy of which was furnished to MindaNews.
The release of the Comelec’s calendar of activities for the BARMM parliamentary elections came as officials of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro government pushed for the October 13 polls to proceed as scheduled.
In a statement made on June 5, MILF vice chair Mohagher Iqbal, also the vice president of the United Justice Bangsamoro Party, the MILF’s political party, called on the national government, the two houses of Congress, the Commission on Elections and all concerned stakeholders “to respect and follow the schedule and timeline set by law for the upcoming first parliamentary election on October 13, 2025.”
“We strongly appeal to our national leaders to refrain from entertaining any proposal that will again postpone this historic election to choose the regular Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament,” Iqbal added.
Iqbal said reports reaching the MILF indicate that someone from the higher ups suggesting to postpone the October 13 parliamentary elections.
Both Iqbal, who is also chair of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel, and MILF Chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim wants the October 13 polls to proceed.
Meanwhile, Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, concurrent Chief of Staff of the MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces and UBJP Secretary-General, said he supports the call of the MILF’s Murad and the national government to conduct the elections on October 13.
He said the conduct of the elections is “integral to ensuring that the voices of the Bangsamoro people are heard and that their choices shape the future of our region.”
Since the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) was established in 2019, the first parliamentary elections in the BARMM had been postponed twice.
Time in Cotabato
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