Push Admin

A poll watcher looks at an outdoor list as military personnel patrol the area of the voting precincts at the Cotabato City Central Pilot School during the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite, January 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

BARMM

Sherrie Ann Torres

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171739881552420190121-cotabato-plebiscite-JC-0617.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A poll watcher looks at an outdoor list as military personnel patrol the area of the voting precincts at the Cotabato City Central Pilot School during the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite, January 21, 2019. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) kicked off its first &quot;Multi-party Democracy Summit&quot; on Monday, introducing a provision in their electoral code that punishes &quot;turncoatism.&quot;</p><p>Maryvynne Duag of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code Study Group from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reported the inclusion of an anti-turncoatism provision. </p><p>The said provision bars BARMM candidates from changing their political party six months before the elections. </p><p>Winning candidates who will abandon their political party in favor of another organization meanwhile will be disqualified from holding office, or will be stripped of one’s position, Duag said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/31/23/97-localities-in-barmm-deemed-as-areas-of-concerns-ahead-of-brgy-polls" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">• 97 localities in BARMM deemed as &#x27;areas of concerns&#x27; ahead of brgy polls</a> </div><p>“Kung ano ang inyong partidong nire-represent mula sa simula, yun din po ang inyong magiging partido habang kayo ay nakaupo. Ano’ng mangyayari kung lilipat? Otomatiko pong mawawala po yung parliamentary seat,” Duas said.</p><p>(Whatever the party that you represent should be your party while you serve. Because the moment you transfer, you will automatically lose your seat)</p><div><strong>OTHER PROVISIONS</strong> </div><p>Parties that will be able to bag four percent of the overall number of voters will qualify in the elections and will be ranked “from the highest to the lowest” and will be given their allotted seats in the Parliament, Duag said. </p><p>There are 80 seats in the Parliament and 40 seats will be reserved for party representatives “based on the proportion of votes each party receives to the total number of votes, with seats allocated from highest to lowest vote-getters.” </p><p>There will also be seats for Sectoral Representatives which will give at least 10 percent, specifically 2 seats for NMIP and Settler Communities; and one seat each for Women, Youth, Traditional Leaders and the &quot;Ulama.&quot;</p><div><strong>ANTI-DYNASTY</strong> </div><p>The Bangsamoro Electoral Code also includes an anti-political dynasty provision, but according to Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua, the restriction has yet to be formally adopted and be supported by its implementing rules and regulation (IRR). </p><p>“Kailangan din ng IRR kasi to be frank lahat ng taga-BARMM, matatamaan ng dynasty. Pati ako matamaan... Lahat-lahat matamaan,” Macacua admitted. </p><p>(An IRR is needed, because to be frank, all BARMM locals will be affected by the dynasty restriction) </p><p>In the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, members of the Parliament will serve a three-year tenure up to three consecutive terms.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/05/23/peace-adviser-bske-a-litmus-test-for-functioning-democracy-in-bangsamoro">• Peace adviser: BSKE a ‘litmus test&#x27; for functioning democracy in Bangsamoro</a> </div><p>Party-members who are twenty-five year old individuals who have been residing in the region or district for at least one year are qualified to run provided that they are a registered voter of BARMM and can read and write. </p><p>Youth representatives must between 18 and 30 years old on election day.</p><div><strong>COMELEC APPEALS</strong> </div><p>In same event, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia appealed to BARMM leaders to ensure a peaceful and orderly elections. </p><p>“Ispesyal ang pagtingin namin sa Bangsamoro kasi first time nga po magkakaroon ng parliamentary election sa Bangsamoro. Ang importante, sana tumupad lang sila, at huwag silang pasaway sa patakaran at sana’y iwasan ang mga iregularidad katulad po ng vote-buying at yung sa terorismo katulad ng panununog o yung pananakot sa ating mga kababayan,” Garcia said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/01/10/21/pamunuan-ng-barmm-tiwala-sa-peace-process-para-makamit-ang-kapayapaan-kaunlaran">• Pamunuan ng BARMM tiwala sa peace process para makamit ang kapayapaan, kaunlaran</a> </div><p>(The Bangsamoro Parliamentary election is special to us. What’s important to us is they follow the law and they will refrain from having irregularities like engaging in vote-buying, terrorism, burning, harassing people.) </p><p>Garcia warned erring BARMM politicians not to test the Comelec this time. </p><p>“This is a warning. Do not test the patience of the Commission on Elections. We will never hesitate to use the full powers of the Comelec under the Constitution just to ensure that no lives are sacrificed at lahat makakaboto,” Garcia stressed.</p><p>For Garcia, the 2025 national and local elections will be a “super election year” because the May 12 polls will also coincide with the BARMM elections to be followed by the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) five months after.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><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/YG3DvpHTOZc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The said provision bars BARMM candidates from changing their political party six months before the elections.</p>

The said provision bars BARMM candidates from changing their political party six months before the elections.

Bangsamoro boasts 'anti-turncoatism' provision in electoral code

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Regions

Bangsamoro boasts 'anti-turncoatism' provision in electoral code

Sherrie Ann Torres,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 03, 2024 04:20 PM PHT

Read More:

BARMM

Bangsamoro

Comlec

election

2025 polls

parliament

ANC

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.