Rowegie Abanto

The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on August 24, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Agatha Gregorio

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178548400856320220824-supreme-court-facade-GC-9.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Supreme Court building in Padre Faura, Manila on August 24, 2022. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATE</strong>) – A group questioning two Bangsamoro laws governing the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has asked the Supreme Court to immediately resolve its petitions and stop the polls, even as the government underscored the importance of the elections to the Bangsamoro peace process.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/29/comelec-warns-cavite-barmm-poll-bets-against-buying-votes-1259">Comelec warns Cavite, BARMM poll bets against buying votes</a></div><p>Members of the Alliance for Moral Advancement and New BARMM for All (AMANA-BARMM) gathered at the Supreme Court on Friday after filing a very urgent motion to resolve constitutional issues raised in relation to the Sept. 14 BARMM parliamentary elections.</p><p>Pending resolution of the petitions, the group asked the high court to issue a status quo ante order or temporary restraining order (TRO).</p><p>According to the petitioners, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) failed to comply with the Supreme Court’s April 8 directive requiring it to submit an answer and records, including population data, supporting Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) Nos. 86 and 88.</p><p>“Ang districts, representation, and party participation governing that election remain under constitutional challenge…Silence cannot become the foundation of the first elected Bangsamoro parliament,” AMANA-BARMM convenor Maulana Mamutuk told reporters.</p><p>“That is why we filed our very urgent motion to resolve. We also asked for a TRO or a status quo ante order before the constitutional injury becomes irreversible,” he said. </p><p>Although the motion was filed Tuesday, the group went to the Supreme Court on Friday to reiterate its appeal for an immediate ruling.</p><p>“Palaging sinasabi na ang BARMM sa una ay hindi success. Baka mangyari na naman na ganoon pa rin. Paulit-ulit na naman ang experimental sa aming Bangsamoro. Parang naging experiment ‘yung mga Bangsamoro,” Mamutuk said.</p><div><br/></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/9/comelec-begins-printing-2-3-million-ballots-for-bangsamoro-elections-1304">Comelec begins printing 2.3 million ballots for Bangsamoro elections</a></div><p>The petitioners said BAA No. 86, which apportions parliamentary district representative seats in BARMM, “gerrymanders districts and dilutes suffrage.”</p><p>“It cites the Special Geographic Area receiving two seats while more populous Marawi receives one. Section 17 of BAA No. 88 is also challenged for burdening party accreditation,” the group said in a statement.</p><p>BAA No. 86 was enacted after the Supreme Court declared BAA No. 77 unconstitutional, ruling that it reorganized parliamentary districts within BARMM to reallocate seats originally intended for Sulu.</p><p>Meanwhile, BAA No. 88 requires regional political parties in the Bangsamoro to be established by at least 5,000 members who are residents and registered voters distributed throughout a majority of the provinces and cities in the region.</p><p>Despite the pending legal challenges, Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said the government remains focused on ensuring that voters can freely choose their leaders without intimidation.</p><p>“Hindi lang ito election. Usapin din ito ng kapayapaan,” Sarmiento told reporters in Pasig City on Friday.</p><p>Sarmiento said the first BARMM parliamentary elections are not merely an exercise in democracy but also a test of the Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination.</p><p>“Self-determination ang talagang sinasabi. Ibinigay po ng ating Republika ito, ng Kongreso, ang self-determination, and hopefully, by electing the right leaders in the forthcoming election, they will be able to finally do things that will benefit the Bangsamoro people,” he said.</p><p>He said the government has been coordinating with the Commission on Elections, security forces and other stakeholders to ensure the elections are peaceful, credible and orderly.</p><p>“Historically, pag election, magulo. May mga area naman na medyo okay naman, na hindi siya worried. Mas mainam na proactive ang security measure para maiwasan ang potential [problems],” he said.</p><p>Sarmiento said the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) has also deployed personnel on the ground and is preparing a quick-response mechanism for election-related concerns.</p><p>“Our office is to advocate peace, reconciliation and more importantly unity… Ang tinitingnan namin—it’s best for everyone to ensure a successful election,” he said.</p><p>Beyond the elections, Sarmiento said the government is moving forward with its commitments under existing peace agreements.</p><p>He said the government’s Peace Implementing Panel, which he now chairs, will formally convene with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Aug. 4 to assess the status of the peace process and identify remaining commitments.</p><p>“Una, leveling muna—saan ang kalakasan, saan din ang kahinaan,” Sarmiento said. “Siyempre, ni-cite namin ‘yung may iba kasing member na na-assign na sa ibang lugar, so kailangan namin yung kapalit. But basically, we maintain the same people.”</p><p>He said the government would continue to work jointly with the MILF on the normalization track.</p><p>“Sa lahat ng gagawin po namin, wala nang unilateral na gagawin. Palaging bilateral. Labas sa napagpirmahan, ang gusto po namin, sa lahat ng gagawin namin, kasama po sila,” he said.</p><p>Sarmiento also said the government has continued engaging both the Misuari and Sema factions of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), expressing hope that talks with the Misuari group would move forward after the BARMM elections.</p><p>“‘Yung meeting ko naman sa mga anak ni Chairman Nur [Misuari], maganda rin. I’m very hopeful that, of course, because they’re running, they’re busy campaigning now, I’m hoping after the election we would like to sit down with them so we can move forward,” he said.</p><p>“Sa Sema faction, tuluy-tuloy… Meron only three things remaining na iniintindi that we are working on. Pero it’s something we feel we can somewhat be able to address. That’s what they’re requesting,” he added.</p><p>He likewise cited progress in the government’s peace processes with the Cordillera Bodong Administration-Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CBA-CPLA), which is nearing formal completion, and KAPATIRAN, formerly the Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade, which is targeted for completion next year.</p><p>“Peace is a process that cannot be done overnight,” Sarmiento said. “True and lasting peace cannot be rushed—it requires years of listening, understanding, and rebuilding together.”</p><p>Sarmiento said the progress across the different peace tables reflects President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.‘s directive to sustain the government’s commitments under existing peace agreements regardless of changes in administration.</p><p>“Kung anong naumpisahan, kailangan tuloy-tuloy,” Sarmiento said. “Napakahalaga po ng mensahe ngayon: Tuluy-tuloy, may continuity.”</p><p>He said the government’s goal is not only to conclude peace agreements but to ensure they translate into development, inclusive governance and better lives for communities affected by decades of conflict.</p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><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/_WsFGT4qMk4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Members of the group Alliance for Moral Advancement and New BARMM for All gathered at the Supreme Court on Friday after filing a very urgent motion to resolve constitutional issues raised in relation to the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.</p>

Members of the group Alliance for Moral Advancement and New BARMM for All gathered at the Supreme Court on Friday after filing a very urgent motion to resolve constitutional issues raised in relation to the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

Very urgent motion to resolve cases on BARMM elections filed at SC; TRO pending resolution requested

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Very urgent motion to resolve cases on BARMM elections filed at SC; TRO pending resolution requested

Agatha Gregorio,

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 31, 2026 04:13 PM PHT

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Updated July 31, 2026 05:35 PM PHT

Read More:

BARMM

Bangsamoro

Elections

Bangsamoro Elections

Supreme Court

TRO

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