Jonathan Frederic De Santos

The Bangsamoro government center in Cotabato City is lit up in green on January 22, 2022 to mark the region's third anniversary. BARMM Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Asnin Pendatun, handout, file.

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is amenable to holding the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections in September 2026, more than four years since they were supposed to happen.This, according to Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia during the hearing of the Senate Subcommittee on Resetting the First Regular Elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Thursday.The elections, which has been postponed four times, was supposed to be held on March 30, 2026, but was postponed anew after Comelec said it needs more time to prepare.Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) and chairperson of the BTA Parliament Committee on Local Government, said the Parliament does not want to cause more problems that would delay polls.“Kasi nandiyan na ho, sufficient enough yung legal framework to conduct the elections. We are hoping Congress, under its mandate to set the date for elections, would already set it,”  Garcia replied: “We can conduct the election in 2026.”<div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/1/29/marcos-wants-barmm-elections-to-proceed-but-will-defer-to-comelec-ruling-1914">Marcos wants BARMM elections to proceed but will defer to Comelec ruling </a></div>He explained that a complication arose when the Bangsamoro Parliament enacted a new districting law just in January 2026.Under Republic Act 8189 or “The Voter’s Registration Act of 1996,” no alteration to municipalities and precincts can be done 120 days before an election.Hence the March 30, 2026 polls was postponed.Garcia said a May 2026 elections could have been plausible, but the Bangsamoro Parliament made two changes that affected the timeline—setting aside the accredited political parties and setting aside the accredited sectoral organizations, requiring them to apply for a new accreditation so that they can now be directly elected.The new accreditation will take three to four months, according to Garcia.The poll chief also mentioned the plebiscite planned to divide the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat into three, which will result in the need to once again amend the districting law.According to Sinarimbo, the plebiscite can be done after the elections. Garcia said they do not have a problem with that.Garcia also mentioned that the three-year term of elected Bangsamoro officials should be upheld as it is clearly stated in the Constitution.A special law may be passed saying that the said elections will not be synchronized with the national and local elections.The date of the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections have to be set by law.<div> </div><div>&#x27;CYCLE OF DISENFRANCHISEMENT&#x27;</div><div> </div>Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri called for the immediate holding of elections.“This cycle of disenfranchisement is not where we want to be, seven years since the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. This is not the future of democratic peace and efficient governance that we envisioned for the region,” he added.Zubiri said the postponements have been justified, but the fact that it has been done a number of times already is not acceptable.“If we put the elections off any longer, then I am afraid that we will be slowly undoing our work of peace and progress in the Bangsamoro region. Instead, we will begin to breed unrest and disillusionment,” Zubiri commented.According to Sen. JV Ejercito: “While we are all committed to the pursuit of peace, we must remember that genuine peace comes from a genuine voice. It is born from the democratic exercise of the right to suffrage.”In an interview with reporters, Garcia assured the public that the parliamentary elections is a priority.“The Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections is a very important event, historic moment sa atin because ito po yung katuparan ng peace process natin,” Garcia said.Before the hearing ended, Zubiri committed to pass on third and final reading their committee report before Congress adjourns in March.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is amenable to holding the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections in September 2026, more than four years since they were supposed to happen.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is amenable to holding the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections in September 2026, more than four years since they were supposed to happen.

After 4 postponements, Comelec open to holding first BARMM parliamentary elections in September

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After 4 postponements, Comelec open to holding first BARMM parliamentary elections in September

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 05, 2026 05:08 PM PHT

Read More:

BARMM elections

Comelec

Bangsamoro parliament

Commission on Elections

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