House bill postponing BARMM polls to 2026 upon BTA request filed

By Filane Mikee Cervantes, Philippine News Agency

The BARMM administration building in Cotabato City. (File photo by Allan Jay Quesada – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – A bill seeking to postpone the first general elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from May 12, 2025 to May 11, 2026 has been filed at the House of Representatives.

According to a news release on Wednesday, House Speaker Martin Romualdez led the filing of House Bill (HB) 11034 in line with the formal request from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which cited the need for additional time to complete critical tasks required for a fully functioning, democratically elected BARMM government.

These include passing crucial laws, building institutions, and creating systems needed to support the BARMM’s transition toward self-governance.

“This postponement is not a delay in progress but rather a necessary step to ensure that the foundations we are building for BARMM are solid and capable of supporting a sustainable autonomous government,” Romualdez said.

In October, the BTA passed Resolution 641, calling for an extension of its mandate until 2028.

Romualdez said this additional time would allow the BTA to address key governance, electoral, and administrative issues.

“This legislation responds to the unique context of the Bangsamoro, allowing the region to uphold its autonomy while also adhering to the highest standards of governance within the Philippines,” he said.

The BTA voiced concerns that holding elections as planned in 2025, without addressing these issues, could result in governance gaps, potentially destabilizing the region’s fledgling autonomous government.

The proposed delay comes amid the added complexities following a recent Supreme Court decision declaring Sulu’s inclusion in the BARMM unconstitutional, necessitating adjustments in the allocation of parliamentary seats in the BARMM Parliament.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which governs the BARMM structure, requires a balanced representation of political parties, districts, and sectoral groups, a process now complicated by Sulu’s exclusion.

The bill stipulates that upon enactment, the President will appoint 80 interim BTA members, who will serve until their elected successors are in office. Current members’ terms will be deemed expired, and the law will take effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a national newspaper.

Other lawmakers co-sponsoring the bill are Senior Deputy Speaker, Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr.; Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe; Senior Deputy Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander Marcos; Deputy Speaker Yasser Alonto Balindong; Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong; Maguindanao del Norte Rep. Bai Dimple Mastura; Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison Jr.; and Tingog Party-list Reps. Yedda Romualdez and Jude Acidre.

In their bill, Romualdez and his co-authors underscored BARMM’s role in fostering peace and economic development in Mindanao.

The extension, they said, is not merely a delay but a dedication to fulfilling the Bangsamoro people’s aspirations for fair representation and stable governance.

“This law is a testament to Congress’ dedication to the success of the BARMM, providing leaders with the time they need to complete this transition thoughtfully, inclusively, and with resilience for future generations,” Romualdez said.

Senate President Francis Escudero has also filed a counterpart measure in the Senate.

Opposition

House Deputy Minority Leader, Basilan Lone District Rep. Mujiv Hataman, opposed HB 11034, saying before entertaining proposals to postpone the BARMM elections, “extensive public consultations in BARMM should be undertaken to safeguard the right to suffrage of its citizens.”

“The right of the Bangsamoro people to choose their own leaders who will be ultimately accountable to them is one of the highest expressions of our democracy as enshrined in both the Constitution and the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” said Hataman, former governor of the defunct Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The lawmaker, he said, should be sincere in pushing and protecting the sacred right of the people to choose and enthrone the leaders who will guide them in the years to come.

Hataman said the Commission on Elections has already indicated readiness for the 2025 BARMM elections.

He said even the political and sectoral parties, as well as the people of the Bangsamoro region, are also prepared to participate in polls.

A wide consultation, not the opinions of only a few, is necessary to justify the postponement of the 2025 BARMM elections, Hataman added.

He said the postponement of an election is enshrined in Supreme Court guidelines under the Macalintal vs. Comelec case (GR 263590 and GR 263673) in 2023, which ruled that it could only be done under a condition that it is for the promotion and protection of the people’s right to suffrage. (With a report from Zaldy De Layola/PNA)