A TOTAL of 22 aspirants have filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for Regional Parliamentary District Representatives for the September 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) during the first day of the three-day filing period on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Data released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) showed that having filed their COCs are Altun Angeles (Second District, Basilan), Rima Hassan (First District, Basilan), Jimael Salliman (Fourth District, Basilan), and Pendatun Mohamad (Fourth District, Basilan).
Also filing their COCs are Edrieza Rimbang (Third District, Lanao del Sur), Amenodin Sumagayan (Fourth District, Lanao del Sur), Alexander Alonto (Second District, Lanao del Sur), Arimao Asum (Fifth District, Lanao del Sur), Princess Gandamra (First District, Lanao del Sur), Abdulrauf Adiong (Third District, Lanao del Sur), Hosni Macapodi (Sixth District, Lanao del Sur), Ali Usman Mindalano (Seventh District, Lanao del Sur), and Rashdi Adiong (Ninth District, Lanao del Sur).
For Maguindanao del Norte, the lone COC filer is Asnawe Baraguir for the Third District.
Filing their COCs too are Rafsanajani Ali (Fifth District, Maguindanao del Sur), Borguia Datumanong (Third District, Maguindanao del Sur), Datu Edo Upam (Third District, Maguindanao del Sur), and Edres Kasim (First District, Maguindanao del Sur).
The Comelec also reported that Hadjimar Matba (Second District, Tawi-Tawi), Michael Ahaja (Fourth District, Tawi-Tawi), Rhosatina de Asis (Third District, Tawi-Tawi), and Julbert Que (First District, Tawi-Tawi) have filed their COCs.
And with the filing period set to end Thursday, May 7, 2026, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said they are expecting as many as over 300 individuals filing their COCs.
In a phone interview, Garcia said they project that as much as 320 aspirants will be filing their COCs at the close of the filing period today (Thursday).
"We expect at least 10 (COCs) filed for each district," said Garcia.
To note, there will be 32 parliamentary district representatives, who will be elected during the BPE.
These include four seats for Basilan, nine seats for Lanao del Sur, five for Maguindanao del Norte, five for Maguindanao del Sur, four for Tawi-Tawi, three for Cotabato City, and two for the Special Geographic Area.
Under Comelec Resolution 11216, the COCs shall be filed from May 5 to 7 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the Bangsamoro Electoral Office through the concerned Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor. (Anton Banal/SunStar Philippines)
