The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced a halt in the printing of ballots for the Bangsamoro Parliament Elections (BPE) due to recent political developments. This decision comes in the wake of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s urgent certification of a bill that seeks to delay the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Comelec chairperson George Garcia confirmed that only the ballots for the national and local elections scheduled for May 12 will be printed at this time. The reason for this decision, Garcia explained, is the potential need to reopen the filing of candidacy certificates in BARMM due to possible redistricting following the reapportionment of seats originally allocated to Sulu. President Marcos’s support for Senate Bill 2942 aims to facilitate necessary adjustments in the Bangsamoro transitional government’s structure. Garcia expressed that they were not anticipating this development, having expected the parliamentary elections to proceed as planned. The House of Representatives has passed a version of the bill that would reschedule the BARMM elections to May 2026, while the Senate’s version, currently in its second reading, proposes moving the elections to August 11, 2025. Meanwhile, Comelec has resumed printing ballots for the national and local elections after a pause caused by Supreme Court restraining orders related to disqualified candidates. Garcia noted that further adjustments in election preparations are expected.
Comelec Halts BARMM Ballot Printing Amid Election Postponement Bill
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