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UBJP backs COMELEC decision on 73-member Parliament Election
- Sep 1, 2025
- Taher G. Solaiman
- HITS: 616
In a statement released on August 31, 2025, the UBJP framed the COMELEC's decision as a "necessary and pragmatic response" to the Bangsamoro Parliament's belated enactment of Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77. The party highlighted that the redistricting law, which reallocated seven parliamentary district seats originally allotted for the province of Sulu, was only signed by Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on August 28, a mere 44 days before the scheduled election.
The UBJP's statement defends the COMELEC's position, arguing that adopting the new law at such a late stage could jeopardize the integrity of the upcoming polls. The party also expressed concern that any attempt to postpone the election would not only "disenfranchise over two million voters in the BARMM but also derail the successful implementation of the peace process."
According to the statement, COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Garcia had previously urged the Bangsamoro Parliament to act on the reallocation of the 32 parliamentary district seats as early as May 2025. However, the Parliament failed to do so in a timely manner. The UBJP also noted that a new districting law would require a new filing of candidacies and reprinting of ballots, a logistical impossibility given the tight timeline.
The UBJP concluded its statement by urging Bangsamoro leaders to "rise to this historic moment" and to "cease any attempts to undermine the democratic process." The party affirmed its and the MILF's commitment to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and declared their readiness to abide by the will of the Bangsamoro people in a "clean, peaceful, and credible election."
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