September Na ang Boto: Marcos Resets BARMM Polls After Legal Delays

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Republic Act No. 12317, officially moving the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to the second Monday of September 2026. The reset gives election officials and candidates more time after a series of legal and political complications delayed the historic vote.

Rappler reported that the law amends the Bangsamoro Organic Law and comes after major developments, including Sulu’s exclusion from BARMM and a Supreme Court ruling that struck down districting laws as unconstitutional. Those issues forced a rethink of the original election timetable.

Under the new law, the Commission on Elections will issue the rules for the September polls using the automated election system. Candidates for district seats and party representatives will need to file their candidacies again, and the winners will assume office on October 30, 2026, serving until June 30, 2031.

Officials in the region described the measure as timely and important for the Bangsamoro transition. Maguindanao del Sur Representative Esmael Mangudadatu said the move gives both candidates and voters, especially first-time young voters, more time to prepare. BARMM officials also said they have continued coordinating with Comelec despite repeated postponements.

For the MILF and other Bangsamoro stakeholders, this election is more than just another political event — it is part of the peace process itself. Kung maayos ang takbo ng September vote, it could strengthen democratic legitimacy in the region and help push governance and peace efforts forward.

Source: Rappler