Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairperson George Erwin Garcia, fresh from his coordinating meeting with stakeholders and the police for the conduct of the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), said he is happy with the result.

He said they just came from Zamboanga City and had to find a way into the area, then went straight to Cotabato because of the segregation exercises for the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election.

He disclosed that they had a huge conference with the PNP and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth election in the region.

“This is 2026, we will conduct three electoral exercises this year, including the special congressional election for the fourth district of Cavite, to fill the seat vacated by former representative Francisco ‘Kiko’ Barzaga, following his expulsion from the House of Representatives,” Garcia said.

Vacated by Barzaga

He said the Commission en banc has set 29 August as the date for the special congressional election in the lone district of Dasmariñas City.

It was finalized during the Commission’s en banc meeting, clearing the way for a special poll to fill the vacant congressional seat in the city.

Aside from it, the poll body will also hold the parliamentary elections in BARMM in September and the synchronized barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections in November.

Garcia said that with the congressional special election date now fixed, the poll body is moving swiftly to coordinate preparations with key government agencies.

The coordination meeting discussed operational and security requirements for the special election, including representatives from the Philippine National Police and the Department of Education, which provides public school facilities and personnel during elections.