PBBM studying calls to postpone BARMM polls

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

FILE: The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao administration building in Cotabato City. (Photo: Bangsamoro Government/Facebook)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Friday he is looking into mounting calls to postpone the first general elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on May 12, 2025.

In a chance interview in Lingayen, Pangasinan, Marcos said there is a possibility that the BARMM elections might be postponed as an “unintended consequence” of the Supreme Court’s (SC) recent decision on Sulu’s exclusion from the BARMM.

“We’re still studying it. Some of the local officials are saying, because of the Supreme Court decision of separating Sulu from BARMM, maraming (there are many) implications because of the changes that have to be made kung kaya natin (if we can). Baka hindi natin kayang gawin (Perhaps, we might not be able to do it) by May of next year,” he said when asked to react to calls to suspend the BARMM polls in May 2025.

“Marami tayong hindi nakita na naging unintended consequence ng desisyon ng Supreme Court. Kaya hangga’t maaari, ang gagawin namin, isasabay namin. Pero kung hindi kaya, mas mabuti nang maging tama kaysa imadali natin tapos magkagulo lang (There are many things we did not see that were unintended consequences of the Supreme Court’s decision. So, as much as possible, we will do it. But if we can’t, it’s better to be right than to rush it and just cause trouble).”

The SC, in a unanimous decision dated Sept. 9, ruled that Sulu is not part of the BARMM, citing the province’s rejection of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) during the 2019 plebiscite.

The BOL, enacted on July 27, 2018, is the legal framework establishing the BARMM’s governance and political structure.

House of Representatives Speaker Martin Romualdez on Nov. 6 led the filing of Bill 11034, which seeks to postpone the BARMM elections, in line with the formal request from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

The BTA in October passed Resolution 641, calling for an extension of its mandate until 2028 to complete critical tasks required for a fully functioning, democratically elected BARMM government, including passing crucial laws, building institutions, and creating systems needed to support the region’s transition toward self-governance.

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

Marcos acknowledged that after the SC ruling on Sulu’s separation from BARMM, the BTA needs to work on a new administrative code, local government code, and electoral code.

He said he would assess the possible implications of the SC decision.