Poll watchdog urges timely conduct of BARMM elections

News | National Posted on 2025-08-26 22:03:33

MANILA – An election monitoring group on Tuesday underscored the need to hold the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on Oct. 13 as originally scheduled, despite pending legislative measures that may affect the process.

In a statement, the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) expressed full support for the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) commitment to proceed with the polls on time.

“The IEMC strongly supports the Comelec’s position to hold the BARMM Parliamentary Elections as scheduled, even if the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) enacts a redistricting and reapportionment law in the coming days,” the group said.

It stressed that further delays would undermine the peace roadmap.
“Postponing the elections would unjustly delay the establishment of an elected regional government – a key component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” it added.

The group also emphasized that the people of BARMM deserve leaders with a genuine mandate from the electorate.

Last week, Comelec temporarily halted the printing of ballots following reports that a pending redistricting bill could affect ballot design and related preparations. Still, the poll body assured the public that the BPE will push through on Oct. 13.

— NPO News Team | PNA-PR

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