Latest news with #BangsamoroElectoralCode
GMA Network
2 days ago
- 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
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
