House bill seeks to reset first BARMM parliamentary elections to September 2026

A Mindanaon congressman has filed a bill seeking to amend the Bangsamoro Organic Law and reset the first regular parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to 28 September 2026.

House Bill No. 7236, which proposes amendments to the Bangsamoro Organic Law (Republic Act No. 11054), was filed Wednesday by Ziaur-Rahman “Zia” Alonto Adiong, first district representative of Lanao del Sur and chairperson of the House Committee on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms. The measure seeks to reset the date of the first regular parliamentary elections in the BARMM.

The proposed bill, co-authored by Lanao del Sur second district Rep. Yasser Alonto Balindong, aims to address a legal gap created by recent rulings of the Supreme Court, including the exclusion of Sulu from the BARMM and the invalidation of prior redistricting laws such as Bangsamoro Autonomy Acts Nos. 58 and 77.

By addressing the statutory gap, the measure seeks to ensure that the first BARMM parliamentary elections can proceed in a peaceful, orderly and fully lawful manner, in compliance with the Constitution, the Bangsamoro Organic Law and prevailing jurisprudence.

Adiong expressed appreciation to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament for passing Parliament Bill No. 415, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2025, on third and final reading.

The law establishes 32 single-member parliamentary districts in the BARMM and is considered a prerequisite for a lawful and peaceful electoral process.

“I extend my heartfelt thanks to the Bangsamoro Parliament for their diligent work and commitment in passing this important districting law. Their timely action provides the necessary legal foundation for fair representation and ensures that the upcoming elections can be conducted peacefully and in accordance with the law,” said Adiong.

“The allocation of 32 districts—nine in Lanao del Sur, five each in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, four each in Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, three in Cotabato City, and two in the Special Geographic Area—will help guarantee that every voice in the Bangsamoro is heard in a truly inclusive Parliament.”

Adiong said the bill is crucial to preserving the integrity of the Bangsamoro peace process and ensuring a lawful, transparent and democratic transition to a fully elected Parliament.

He added that by resetting the election date, the Commission on Elections will be given sufficient time to prepare, redraw precincts based on the new districts, and conduct a peaceful, orderly and credible electoral exercise.