Whole-of-gov’t push for BARMM elections

National security forces and election officials are intensifying preparations for the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, adopting a “whole-of-government” strategy to address security and legal challenges ahead of the September vote.

During a command conference held on 28 April at Camp Crame, leaders from the Philippine National Police (PNP), Commission on Elections (Comelec), and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) reaffirmed that the regional polls remain on track for 14 September.

PNP chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. led the briefing, which focused on inter-agency coordination for securing both the BARMM elections and the 2026 Sangguniang Kabataan polls.

“The first BARMM parliamentary elections will be a historic moment not just for the region but for the whole nation,” said Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo.

He noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has certified the measure as urgent, describing the elections as an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of democracy in the Bangsamoro region.

The polls will mark the transition from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a fully elected 80-member parliament, a key milestone under the 2014 peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

However, several legal challenges remain ahead of the vote. A petition filed with the Comelec seeks to block the registration of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political arm of the MILF. The petition cites alleged election law violations, including breaches of the gun ban and supposed receipt of foreign funding. UBJP president Al Haj Murad Ebrahim has defended the party’s participation, saying it reflects the MILF’s role in establishing the autonomous region.