MANILA, Philippines — Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia called on voters, candidates and political parties to help ensure that the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections are free, orderly, honest, peaceful and credible.
In a message on Thursday ahead of the Sept. 14, 2026 BARMM elections, Garcia urged voters to cast their ballots freely and without fear and asked candidates and political parties to exercise restraint and respect for the electoral process.
“Come election day, let us prove to the nation and to the world that peace, once chosen, can be sustained through strong institutions rooted in the region’s distinct identity, genuine public service, and the exercise of democracy,” Garcia said.
He said the elections would be the first time the people of the Bangsamoro would elect a Parliament under a system designed to reflect the region’s distinct political character.
Garcia said that the system was founded on inclusion and representation, with safeguards against the concentration of political power and guaranteed space for sectors and communities in public life.