Ched Rick Gatchalian

Residents in Sultan Kudarat look for their names from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) list of voters for the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite at the Simuay Junction Crossing Elementary School, January 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File 

 

Article (news)

Comelec faces over P1 billion loss following Bangsamoro elections reset, says Garcia

Lyza Aquino

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia revealed that the poll body stands to lose more than P1 billion in election-related expenditures following the unexpected reset of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections.</p><p>In a press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Garcia explained that the Supreme Court’s announcement on Wednesday left the Comelec scrambling to assess the full financial impact.</p><p>“To my understanding it will not be less than P1 billion. It’s P1 billion and above.”</p><p>He elaborated that the expenses include the printing of ballots and partial payments for equipment rentals, which have to be made even if elections have been pushed back..</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/10/1/supreme-court-postpones-oct-13-barmm-parliamentary-elections-1708"><strong>Supreme Court postpones Oct. 13 Bangsamoro parliamentary elections</strong></a></div><p>Garcia also emphasized that deployment budgets have already been spent, noting that suppliers do not deliver without initial payments.</p><p>“So more or less, aaminin namin, lahat iyon ay mababalewala.”</p><p>(We have to acknowledge that more or less that money has gone to waste)</p><p>Following the postponement, Comelec will return all printed materials and unused equipment to its warehouse in Santa Rosa, Laguna.</p><p>Garcia said the commission would announce a specific date for the disposal of the printed ballots and other election-related materials.</p><p>“We will issue a resolution to set aside all calendar of activities pertaining to the October 13 elections,” he also said, stressing that the commission is committed to fulfilling its mandate despite reduced preparation time.</p><p>He also mentioned that while they have not yet officially received the Supreme Court’s full decision, COMELEC is acting based on the spokesperson’s briefer.</p><p>The Supreme Court earlier has declared Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts (BAA) 58 and 77 unconstitutional, effectively postponing the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao originally set for October 13.</p><p>The SC ordered the Commission on Elections to proceed with preparations and the conduct of elections not later than March 31, 2026.  </p><p>Despite the tight timeline, Garcia assured the public of Comelec&#x27;s commitment to a lawful, well-organized election in March.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/9/25/comelec-says-october-13-barmm-polls-legally-factually-impossible-1611"><strong>Comelec says holding BARMM polls on Oct. 13 &#x27;legally, factually impossible&#x27;</strong></a></div><p>“The Comelec will immediately comply with our obligation, with our duty… we will have to come up with the new calendar of activities pertaining to the reset Bangsamoro parliamentary election,” he concluded.</p><p>A new, modified election calendar is expected to be released in the coming days.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UuwxSgsOKUw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia revealed that the poll body stands to lose more than P1 billion in election-related expenditures following the sudden reset of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections.</p>

Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Garcia revealed that the poll body stands to lose more than P1 billion in election-related expenditures following the sudden reset of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections.