Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has initiated the process of disposing over 2.4 million official ballots that were originally printed for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections. These elections were scheduled to take place on October 13, 2025, but have since been postponed.

According to Philippines News Agency, the rescheduling of the elections was formalized in March 2025 when President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed Republic Act No. 12317 into law. This legislation reset the first regular BARMM elections to the second Monday of September this year. The transition period was also extended to allow the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to continue its governance responsibilities, unless members are replaced by the President or elected to another office.

In a statement shared on social media, Comelec explained that the 2,420,904 ballots would be destroyed to prevent any potential misuse and to uphold the integrity, security, and credibility of the electoral process. The commission has ensured that the disposal will adhere to established rules and procedures, with the ballots currently stored at the Comelec Bi±an warehouse in Laguna.

The upcoming BARMM elections will encompass five provinces-Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, and Tawi-Tawi-as well as special geographic areas, including 63 villages in North Cotabato. The elections will also cover 32 districts, three cities, 105 municipalities, and 2,185 villages. As of April, the region has 2.3 million registered voters, with 1,186 voting centers and an estimated 14,2596 established precincts, alongside 4,883 estimated clustered precincts.