MANILA, Philippines — Preparations are in full swing for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary election as national government agencies and partner institutions coordinate security, legal, and administrative measures to ensure orderly and credible polls.
This was highlighted during a command conference held on April 28 at Camp Crame in Quezon City where key stakeholders reaffirmed that the electoral exercise was firmly moving forward under a “whole-of-government” approach.
Philippine National Police chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. led discussions with election stakeholders, underscoring coordination among agencies to secure the upcoming polls.
The meeting gathered officials from the Commission on Elections (Comelec), Office of the Special Assistant to the President, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and civil society election monitors.
Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo stressed the importance of holding the first-ever elections in BARMM, highlighting the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to certify the election as urgent.
“The first BARMM parliamentary elections will be a historic moment not just for the region but for the whole nation. It is an opportunity for the Bangsamoro to shape their parliament directly and to prove that the democracy here is strong,” Lagdameo said.
Republic Act 12317, signed into law by Marcos, sets the first regular BARMM parliamentary elections on the second Monday of September 2026 and aligns succeeding polls with the national and local elections beginning May 2031.
Authorities reiterated their commitment to ensure peaceful and credible elections under heightened coordination efforts, with the PNP emphasizing its operational readiness in line with its campaign for more responsive public service.
Despite the momentum in preparations, the electoral process is being shaped by legal and political challenges.
A petition has been filed before the Comelec opposing the registration of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the political wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The petition raised allegations of election law violations, including gun ban breaches and alleged foreign funding, and called for the denial of the party’s accreditation as a regional parliamentary political party.
UBJP President Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, however, maintained that the party’s participation is essential to the electoral process, citing its historical role in the creation of BARMM.
At the same time, separate petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court and Comelec urging the swift resolution of disputes involving BARMM redistricting and party accreditation rules.
The petitioners warned that delays could affect voter representation and create confusion ahead of the filing of certificates of candidacy.
They also urged the poll body to intensify voter education efforts, stressing the importance of clarifying that the BARMM parliamentary elections will proceed as scheduled on September.
The BARMM elections will mark the first parliamentary polls in the region, transitioning governance from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a fully elected 80-member parliament.
The exercise is widely seen as a key milestone in the implementation of the 2014 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the MILF.
