NEWS
BARMM pollsseen as key peace-process test
He said the elections are part of the peace process and would give voters in the region an opportunity to choose their representatives.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Erwin Garcia said on Sunday that the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections would be an important step in establishing democratic governance in the region.
Comelec has started preparations for the polls and has printed more than 2.3 million ballots. The 14 September elections, which have been postponed more than once, will be followed by the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections on 2 November.
Garcia said the polls would determine the members of the Bangsamoro Parliament in the first regular election for the regional legislature.
He said the elections are part of the peace process and would give voters in the region an opportunity to choose their representatives.
Garcia cited the 12 May 2025 national and local elections, when internet voting was introduced for overseas Filipinos. The system was available in 77 posts worldwide and remained open for 30 days.
More than 99 percent of election returns were transmitted to Comelec servers within hours after precincts closed, he said.
The 2025 elections were also subject to source code reviews and monitored by accredited groups, including the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections, as well as local and foreign observers.
Garcia said elected leaders derive their authority from the people’s trust, making credible elections essential regardless of the form of government.