4 BARMM governors join calls for resetting Bangsamoro 2025 polls

General Santos City—At least four governors of the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Maguindanao del Norte in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have joined calls for the resetting of the May 2025 BARMM Parliamentary Elections.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, Governors Mamintal "Bombit" Alonto Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur, Jim Hataman Salliman of Basilan, Abdulraof Macacua of Maguindanao del Norte, and Yshmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi implored that Congress will enact bills resetting the May 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections.

"We, the undersigned implored the Philippine Congress to heed our call and demonstrate its unwavering commitment to the peace process and the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people by swiftly enacting the bills resetting the BARMM parliamentary elections to May 11, 2026. This act of legislative responsibility is not just a political decision, it is an act of justice, a reaffirmation of our shared commitment to building a peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive Bangsamoro for all, " the statement said and was issued in Manila.

The four governors bared that because of the recent exclusion of the Province of Sulu by the Supreme Court as part of the BARMM, they have unanimously reached the said critical decision.

The statement also pointed out their key justification for the reasons why they are pushing for the resetting of the BARMM elections. The four governors lamented and justified that it is very important to note that the Bangsamoro Organic Law must uphold its integrity. The BOL mandates that an 80-member parliament should be filled in totally contravening the BOL. The exclusion of Sulu will just have a 73-member parliament, which, according to the joint statement, will greatly undermine the legitimacy of the parliament.

It also said that an equitable representation must be made since the exclusion of Sulu will disenfranchise its people, which will raise concerns about a fair and equitable representation. Another justification of the joint statement was the addressing of legal and administrative issues, as they believed that the Supreme Court decision has raised complex legal questions. Lastly, the four governors opined that a credible and inclusive electoral process is needed, seeing that the first-ever parliamentary elections need more voter education, coordination, and meticulous planning.

"Postponing the elections to 2026 allows ample time for a comprehensive and inclusive electoral process," the joint statement said.