DAYS after the campaign period began, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) admitted that the scheduled October 13, 2025, parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) are now uncertain after the Supreme Court (SC) ordered a suspension of poll preparations. If the ruling becomes final, it will mark the fourth postponement of the region’s landmark polls.
SC order stops preparations
Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia confirmed that preparations for the Barmm elections have been suspended starting Wednesday, September 17, following the high tribunal’s issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO). The TRO prevents the implementation of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77, which reallocates the seven parliamentary seats originally intended for Sulu province.
“Today, the Comelec en banc, in compliance with the temporary restraining order issued yesterday by the Supreme Court, is suspending preparations for the conduct of the elections on October 13,” Garcia told reporters.
The SC consolidated two petitions questioning BAA No. 77, halting the law’s enforcement until the cases are resolved. Garcia said this ruling effectively recognizes BAA No. 77 as the most recent legal framework for seat distribution in the Bangsamoro parliament.
However, the Comelec chief stressed that the suspension leaves the fate of the polls in limbo. “Up to the present, because of the suspension, the Comelec cannot answer yet if there will be elections on October 13,” Garcia explained. He clarified that the Comelec has no authority to reset the election date, as such power rests solely with Congress.
Legal complications over Sulu seats
Under BAA No. 58, the Barmm parliament is composed of 80 seats: 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. When the SC earlier ruled to exclude Sulu province — after its rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in a plebiscite — the parliament’s size was reduced to 73 seats.
BAA No. 77 was later passed to redistribute Sulu’s seven excluded seats, but the law’s legality is now under challenge.
Even before the TRO, Garcia warned that there was insufficient time to implement the new seat allocation. He said the poll body could only deliver election materials to municipalities by October 20 — one week past the scheduled vote.
Peaceful campaign period so far
Despite the legal setbacks, the election campaign has remained largely peaceful. “It’s very peaceful in the Bangsamoro right now, even though we’re already in the campaign period,” Garcia said earlier this month.
“To our BPE candidates, thank you very much because you continue to keep the campaign there smooth and peaceful,” he added, while also cautioning that peace and order conditions often shift as election day nears.
At least 12 municipalities in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, and Basilan remain under the “red category” or areas of concern, though Garcia said the Comelec is prepared to respond should tensions rise.
Repeated delays
Barmm elections was originally set to hold its first parliamentary elections in May 2022, as mandated by the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
However, in 2021, then-President Rodrigo Duterte signed a law postponing the vote to May 2025, extending the mandate of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA). The elections faced another adjustment when the schedule was moved to October 13, 2025, to account for the Supreme Court’s ruling excluding Sulu province from Barmm.
Most recently, in September 2025, the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) that forced the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to suspend preparations, casting uncertainty over the October polls and raising the possibility of a fourth delay.
Impact on peace process and governance
The repeated postponements have stirred concerns among stakeholders in Mindanao’s peace process. The parliamentary elections were designed as a cornerstone of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, giving residents their first chance to elect representatives instead of relying on the interim BTA.
Critics warn that another delay could weaken public confidence in the transition government and strain the peace agreements that ended decades of armed conflict. Supporters of the postponements, however, argue that ensuring fairness and constitutionality in seat distribution must come first to avoid long-term instability.
For now, Garcia said the Comelec is bound to wait for the Supreme Court’s final decision: “Because of the suspension, we cannot proceed with preparations, and we cannot answer yet if elections will push through on October 13.” DEF