Comelec moves BARMM candidacy filing to 4-9 November

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday announced it has moved the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) certificate of candidacy (COC) filing period to 4-9 November.

The filing period was initially set from 1 to 8 October.

This was after the Supreme Court (SC) declared Sulu as not part of BARMM after the province rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

With that, the Comelec noted that the high court's decision has a "crucial effect" on the ongoing pre-election activities as there is a need to "accommodate several adjustments in the Commission's administrative jurisdiction over Sulu."

"Dahil nagulantang kami sa desisyon ng kataas-taasang hukuman tungkol sa pagtatanggal ng Sulu sa Bangsamoro kaya po nagdesisyon ang Comelec En Banc na ipagpaliban ang Certificate of Candidacy sa buong Bangsamoro (Because we were suprised by the SC's decision to exclude Sulu in the Bangsamoro so the Comelec En Banc decided to postpone the COC in the whole Bangsamoro region)," Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said.

The Comelec chief added that this includes the manifestation of intent to participate (MIP).

"Ang Comelec En Banc po ay nagkaroon ng ganitong desisyon sapagkat hindi po kami pwedeng mag-postpone ng halalan. Tuloy-tuloy po ang halalan sa Bangsamoro (The Comelec En Banc came up with this decision because we cannot postpone the elections. The election in the Bangsamoro will proceed)," he stressed.

The BARMM is set to have its first parliamentary elections in May 2025.