Latest news with #BARMM
GMA Network
5 days ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec holds mock elections ahead of BARMM parliamentary polls
The Commission on Elections on Saturday conducted mock elections in several areas in Lanao del Sur and Tawi-Tawi in preparation for the BARMM parliamentary polls on October 13. Comelec officials led by Chairperson George Erwin Garcia, other election stakeholders, and the media monitored the conduct of mock polls in Butig, Lanao del Sur, and in Bongao and Simunul in Tawi-Tawi. Voting started at 7 a.m. and ended at 10 a.m. ''Counting and canvassing for the mock elections has officially closed, with the Certificates of Canvass in all levels 100% received at around 11:07 a.m.,'' the Comelec said. Only 73 seats will be up for grabs in the October elections as the seven seats previously allocated to Sulu are considered temporarily vacant. ''These vacancies may be subsequently filled through presidential appointment or as may later be determined by a ruling of the Supreme Court or future legislation from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) or the Philippine Congress,'' the Comelec said in a statement on July 15. The Supreme Court upheld the Bangsamoro Organic Law's (BOL) validity in September last year, but it also ruled that Sulu is not a part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Sulu province rejected the ratification of the BOL during the plebiscite in 2019. 'As Sulu rejected the Bangsamoro Organic Law in the plebiscite, it was wrong to include the province in BARMM,' SC spokesperson Camille Ting said then. — VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
01-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
BARMM polls to proceed even with only 73 seats up for grabs — Comelec
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday it can no longer delay the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on October 13 even though only 73 seats are up for grabs. Comelec spokesperson Rex Laudiangco said the poll body is ready to explain before the Supreme Court the poll body's decision to proceed with the parliamentary elections in the region. "Nakahanda naman po kaming tumugon at magpaliwanag sa ating Kataastasang Hukuman kung kami ay aatasan na sumagot," he said in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon. (We are ready to answer and explain to the Supreme Court if we are ordered to respond.) "Kung sakali man pong magkakaroon ng development, whether sa batas, whether sa kaso o pagkuwestiyon at ano pa man, nakahanda naman po tumugon ang Comelec," Laudiangco said. "Ngunit isa lamang po ang malinaw na mensahe ng Comelec sa bagay na ito, kailangan na po namin maghanda at hindi na po kami puwede mag-delay pa kung nais natin matuloy ang halalan sa October 13," he added. (In case there is a development, whether on law, the case, or any questions, the Comelec is ready to respond. However, the Comelec has only one clear message on this matter: We need to prepare and we cannot face any further delays if we want the elections to proceed on October 13.) There were supposed to be 80 available parliamentary seats, but the seven seats that were originally intended for Sulu have yet to be reallocated by the interim Bangsamoro Parliament. In a September 2024 ruling, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but declared that Sulu was not part of BARMM. The High Court denied motions seeking the reversal of the decision in November 2024. The SC ruling necessitated the redistribution of the seven vacated seats originally allocated to Sulu under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. signed into law the measure postponing the BARMM polls from May 12 to October 13 this year. Malacañang had said the President supported a Senate bill for the postponement of the BARMM polls as this would "address the urgent need of the Bangsamoro transitional government to realign its governance structure." — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
27-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec to hold mock elections for BARMM polls in July
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will conduct mock polls for the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on July 26. At a stakeholders' briefing on the 2025 BARMM polls on Friday, Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia reiterated that the parliamentary elections will push through on October 13. 'The Comelec will proceed with the conduct of the elections in the Bangsamoro by October 13, and that is very clear,' Garcia said. The Bangsamoro polls were rescheduled from May 12 to October 13 after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in February signed the law postponing the elections. The postponement came months after the Supreme Court (SC), in September 2024, upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but declared that Sulu was not part of BARMM. The Court denied motions seeking the reversal of the decision in November 2024. The SC ruling necessitated the redistribution of the seven vacated seats originally allocated to Sulu under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. However, the Bangsamoro government has yet to issue a decision on the reallocation. 'At this point, how can the Comelec comply with the 80 coming from Sulu? The Comelec doesn't have the power to reapportion…In the meantime, we are proceeding with our preparation based on 73 seats,' Garcia said. The poll chief also said the Comelec is eyeing repositioning certain forces of its deputized law enforcement agencies, such as the Philippine Army, the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Marines, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard, as part of peacekeeping operations during the 2025 Bangsamoro polls and to neutralize any armed groups who may disrupt said elections.— VBL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
BARMM officials ordered to submit courtesy resignations
Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua ordered all senior BARMM officials to submit their courtesy resignation no later than June 30, 2025. PHOTO: BARMM Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua ordered all ministers, deputy ministers, and heads of offices and agencies in the Bangsamoro Region to submit their courtesy resignation no later than June 30, 2025. In a memorandum dated June 23, Macacua said the decision is due to the 'serious and grave complaints' he received and to 'improve efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in this crucial phase of the end of the transition period in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region'. 'To ensure continuity of government services, all concerned shall continue to report for work and perform only their routinary functions not involving discretion until any action on the courtesy resignations are taken,' the memorandum said. 'In case a Minister, Deputy Minister, Head of Office or Agency covered by this Memorandum Circular fails or refuses for any reason to tender his or her unqualified courtesy resignations on or before the deadline, the refusing or failing official shall be deemed resigned,' it added. BARMM polls The Commission on Elections (Comelec) confirmed the issuance of the memorandum. However, poll chief George Erwin Garcia said this will have no significant effect on the preparations for the Bangsamoro elections in October. 'Tinanong din po natin sa mga taga-BARMM kung totoo ito at kinumpirma na legit po. Importante po sa amin na malaman dahil sa proper coordination natin sa mga tamang opisyal bilang paghahanda sa nalalapit na BARMM parliamentary election,' Garcia told GMA News Online. (We asked the BARMM if this is true and they confirmed that it is. This is important for our proper coordination with the proper officials as part of preparations for the upcoming BARMM parliamentary elections.) 'Wala naman po ganung epekto dahil ito po ay internal sa kanila,' he said. (This has no significant impact on the poll preparations because this is internal to them.) Comelec officials, including Garcia, are set to meet with stakeholders in Cotabato City on Wednesday, June 25, to discuss preparations for the Bangsamoro polls. This includes a walkthrough of the facilities that will be used for the parliamentary elections that includes voting precincts, canvassing centers and media centers. 'Ang kampo ng 6ID sa Cotabato City ang aming planong operation center. Dyan natin mismo ilalagay ang canvassing center ng region kung san mapproklama ang mahahalal…Gusto namin alamin kung saan pwede mahiram ang mga pasilidad sa kampo at gusto natin malaman ang peace and order situation,' Garcia added. (We're eyeing to put up our operations center in the camp of the Army's 6th Infantry Division in Cotabato City. That is where we will place the regional canvassing center and where the winners will be proclaimed. We want to know what facilities we can borrow for the polls and to know the current peace and security situation.) The first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections is set on October 13, 2025. —RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
18-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Comelec continues preparations for BARMM polls
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Wednesday that it will continue with the preparations for the first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections amid the pending decision on the reallocation of seven seats assigned to Sulu. Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia said the poll body wrote to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Senate President Chiz Escudero, House Speaker Martin Romualdez, and the Senate and House committees on electoral reforms to inform them that they are preparing for the Bangsamoro polls with 73 parliamentary seats. 'Walang kaduda-duda tuloy na tuloy ang Bangsamoro parliamentary elections bagamat ang pinaghahandaan natin muna sa kasalukuyan ay ang 73 parliamentary seats kasi ang pito ay di pa namin alam ang final na sasabihin ng parliament,' Garcia said. (The BARMM polls will proceed but in the meantime, we're preparing for only 73 seats. We have yet to learn the decision on the seven vacated seats.) 'Baka kasi kapusin kami ng oras sa paghahanda dahil ito ay automated elections,' he said. (We're preparing now because we may not have enough time since this is an automated election.) The Bangsamoro polls was reset from May 12 to October 13, 2025 after Marcos signed into law the measure postponing the elections in February. The suspension came months after the Supreme Court (SC), in September 2024, upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but declared that Sulu was not part of BARMM. The Court denied motions seeking the reversal of the decision in November 2024. The SC ruling necessitated the redistribution of the seven vacated seats originally allocated to Sulu under the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. 'Nakailang sulat tayo pero wala pa tayong natanggap sa kanila pero may mga pag-convey ng mensahe na mukhang kakayanin nila kundi last week ng June, first week ng July yung naturang batas na ating inaasahan,' said Garcia. (We already wrote to them but have yet to receive a response. However, we were told that the resolution may be issued by the last week of June or the first week of July.) According to the Comelec, 109 aspirants have filed their candidacies for district representative seats in the 2025 Bangsamoro polls. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
