Manila: Eighty seats are at stake as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) holds its first parliamentary elections on Monday, marking a major step in the region's transition to an elected parliament.
According to Philippines News Agency, of the 80 seats, 40 will be allocated to Regional Parliamentary Political Party (RPPP) while the remaining 40 will consist of 32 elected parliamentary district representatives and eight parliamentary sectoral representatives. A total of 2,393,202 registered voters will cast ballots for one parliamentary district representative, one parliamentary political party, and six parliamentary sectoral organizations representing settler communities, women, youth, ulama, and traditional leaders.
Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson George Garcia emphasized that the polls represent a continuation of the Bangsamoro struggle for self-government through the peace process. "These elections stand on generations of Bangsamoro struggle for homeland, identity, and self-determination, in the face of dispossession, marginalization, conflict, and sacrifice," he said in a statement Sunday. "The election before us carries that history forward: Institutions borne of struggle, negotiation, and transition will now pass into the hands of representatives entrusted with the people's mandate through the ballot."
Garcia urged voters, candidates, and political parties to ensure a peaceful and orderly election. "Let every voter cast their ballot freely and without fear, and may every candidate and political party conduct themselves with restraint, respect for the process, and a shared commitment to preserving the safety of all," he said. Voting will run from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., with senior citizens, pregnant individuals, and persons with disabilities given an early voting period from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. They may also vote during regular hours if unable to cast their ballots earlier. The elections will use automated counting machines (ACMs) previously deployed during the May 2025 midterm elections.
Meanwhile, the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) announced it is deploying about 4,000 volunteers in BARMM, including around 1,000 who will participate in its unofficial parallel count. "We are also involved in the RMA (Random Manual Audit) in Davao. We have command centers in BARMM and also one in the PPCRV - AMA Command Center in Makati City," Ana Singson, PPCRV national communications director, said in a statement. The PPCRV will conduct its unofficial parallel count from Sept. 17 to 22.
In a separate development, the Comelec-Committee on Kontra Bigay (anti-bribery) has ordered former chairperson and parliamentary district representative candidate Sheriff Abas of Cotabato City's First District to explain a social media post involving him in vote-buying. The order, dated Sept. 12, gave Abas a non-extendible period of 24 hours from receipt of the show-cause order to explain in writing "why a complaint for election offense and/or petition for disqualification should not be filed" against him. The case stemmed from a Facebook post alleging advance vote-buying and showing a sample ballot bearing Abas' name, alongside three PHP1,000 bills.
