Escudero seeks to defer BARMM parliamentary polls to 2026

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero on Monday filed a measure formalizing his proposal to defer the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in view of the recent Supreme Court ruling that excludes Sulu from the regional group. 

The BARMM’s first-ever parliamentary elections had been scheduled for next year, coinciding with the 2025 Midterm elections on 11 May. 

In filing Senate Bill 2862, Escudero lamented that the recent Supreme Court rulings “provide a compelling reason to postpone the Bangsamoro regular elections given its legal implications on the exclusion of Sulu from the autonomous region.”

Escudero’s SB 2862 is seeking the postponement of the BARMM parliamentary election to 11 May 2026, allowing the region “to reconfigure its jurisdictions” as well as properly reallocate seats for its 80-member parliament following the High Court’s ruling.

“Importanteng magawa ‘yan para mabigyan ng notipikasyon na ang ating mga kababayan dun sa BARMM kaugnay ng balak ng Kongreso na ipagpaliban ang eleksyon at ang pangunahing dahilan ay ang desisyon ng Korte Suprema kaugnay ng lalawigan ng Sulu (It is important to reconfigure that so our fellow citizens in BARMM would be notified about Congress’ plan to postpone the election, with the main reason being the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the province of Sulu),” he said. 

Given the importance of the measure and the tight schedule of both the Senate and the House of Representatives for the remainder of the 19th Congress, Escudero expressed optimism that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will certify SB 2862 “as urgent.”

Escudero explained that the High Court’s ruling may require a substantial correction of existing laws, particularly Republic Act (RA) 11054, and the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2024 (BAA 58, 2024)—referring to the allocation of the statutory mandated 80  seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament. 

In its resolution, the Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but also declared that the province of Sulu was not part of the BARMM after the latter rejected the law during the 2019 plebiscite held.

The province of Lanao del Norte, municipalities in North Cotabato, and other areas had petitioned for voluntary inclusion in the BARMM.

Most provinces comprising the former Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao or ARMM ratified the law, except for Sulu, but it was still made a part of the BARMM—which was petitioned by their governor before the Supreme Court in 2018. 

The BARMM parliament has established 32 parliamentary districts in Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City, the Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area in Cotabato province, and Sulu.

From the 80 members to be elected in the parliament, 32 of them,  including the seven from Sulu, shall represent parliamentary districts.

“Halimbawa mayroong pito o walong kinatawan ng Sulu sa BARMM parliament, paano ‘yun kung hindi na sila bahagi ng BARMM? Paaano i-a-allocate ‘yun? Hindi naman pwedeng basta-basta na lamang ibawas. Paano ‘yung mga party-list groups na doon lahat nakarehistro at ‘yung mga sectoral groups na doon din nakarehistro? (For example, if there are seven or eight representatives from Sulu in the BARMM parliament, what happens if they are no longer part of BARMM? How will that be allocated? It cannot simply be deducted just like that. What about the party-list groups that are allregistered there and the sectoral groups that are also registered there?),” Escudero asked. 

The Senate President stressed the need to come to a decision on the matter. 

“Kailangan ng kaunting panahon para magawa at maisaayos dahil importante at dahil bahagi ng peace talks ay konsultasyon sa mga stakeholders d’yan sa BARMM (Some time is needed to accomplish and organize this because it is important and consultation with stakeholders in BARMM is part of the peace talks),” he said. 

BARMM COC filing

The Commission on Elections has started receiving certificates of candidacy for the 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections. 

It said it would continue to do so until 9 November pending the final action of the Congress on the possible postponement of the BARMM polls.

Further, Escudero said the Senate hearings to shed light on the issues related to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority parliament's move to create a new province called Kutawato Province—which includes eight newly-formed municipalities that were part of the Special Geographic Area within BARMM.

Escudero said the creation of a new province requires the establishment of a legislative district to avoid disenfranchising voters affected municipalities of Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabakan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan, and Ligawasan—all of which are located in North Cotabato.