SC halts BARMM redistricting law ahead of historic polls

Just weeks before the region’s first-ever parliamentary elections, the Supreme Court has ordered an immediate halt to the implementation of a law that would have redrawn parliamentary districts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

In a special session on Monday, 15 September 2025, the Court issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) consolidating two petitions that questioned the constitutionality of Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77 (BAA 77), also known as the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025.

The TRO bars the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) from enforcing the law until the cases are fully resolved.

BAA 77, passed by the interim BTA on August 19, reorganizes parliamentary districts and reallocates seven seats initially assigned to the Province of Sulu. The move followed the Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling in Province of Sulu v. Medialdea, which declared that Sulu is not part of BARMM.

Petitioners — including local politicians and community leaders — argued that the law was passed illegally and violates election rules by altering precincts after the official election period began on August 14. They further claimed that the act is unconstitutional because it undermines the guarantee of free, orderly, and credible elections.

The high court directed the Comelec and the BTA to file their comments within a strict, non-extendible deadline of five days.

The first parliamentary elections in BARMM are set for 13 October 2025, a milestone mandated by Republic Act No. 12123. The outcome of this legal challenge could have a major impact on the political landscape and representation in the young autonomous region.