Palace respects SC’s TRO on Bangsamoro Autonomy Act

Malacañang has expressed its full respect for the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the implementation of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 77, which involved the reallocation of parliamentary districts originally assigned to the province of Sulu.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer, Atty. Claire Castro assured the public that the administration will comply with the Supreme Court’s directive.

“Kung iyan po ang desisyon ng Supreme Court, iyan naman po ay igagalang. Kung ano po ang inuutos ng Supreme Court, magku-comply naman po ang pamahalaan (If that's the decision of the Supreme Court, we will respect that. Whatever the Supreme Court's directive is, the government will comply),” said Castro. 

The TRO bars the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), and all related entities from enforcing BAA No. 77 until the case is fully resolved.

The BAA No. 77, also known as the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Act of 2025, amended the earlier BAA No. 58 to redistribute parliamentary seats following the Supreme Court’s earlier ruling in 2024, which excluded Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The controversial redistricting measure has since drawn legal challenges from stakeholders in Sulu, prompting the Supreme Court to issue the restraining order as it hears the case.

In response to the order, the Comelec was directed, along with the BTA, to file its comment within a non-extendable period of five days from notice.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said the Commission en banc would meet on Wednesday to discuss the implications of the TRO.