The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the postponement of the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In an exclusive interview with DZRH's Special on Saturday, COMELEC Chairman George Garcia confirmed that the BARMM parliamentary elections have been postponed from May 12 to October 13 of this year.
Supposedly, the parliamentary elections were set to be held simultaneously with the national and local elections.
"Yung Bangsamoro parliamentary elections sapagkat natanggap na natin kahapon 'yun pong mismong napirmahan ng ating Pangulog na bagong batas na nagpo-postpone ng Bangsamoro parliamentary elections mula Mayo 12, na dapat ay kasabay ng national and local elections, ito ngayon ay naka-separate na sa October 13 ngayong taon na ito," said Garcia.
Republic Act No. 12123 stipulates that individuals who filed their certificates of candidacy (COC) in November of last year will automatically be considered as candidates and nominees for the BARMM elections on October 13.
The terms of office for the newly elected members of parliament will commence at noon on October 30.
Moreover, this is reportedly the reason why the ballots for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections have not yet been printed.
"Dapat po kasi dalawang balota ang tatanggapin ng mga botante natin sa Bangsamoro, isang national and local elections ballot, at pagkatapos po ay ang pangalawa na Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections ballot," Garcia explained.
Garcia further noted that the total number of voters in BARMM is approximately 2.32 million, adding that there are nearly three thousand precincts.
Meanwhile, the barangay and SK elections will still take place on December 1, despite the existence of bills in the lower house and Senate extending the term of office for barangay officials.
