Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has confirmed that the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) will proceed as scheduled on October 13. Comelec Chairperson George Garcia emphasized in an online interview that postponing the elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) would require legislative action.

According to Philippines News Agency, Garcia stated, “To the people of Bangsamoro, the elections will push through. We need a law from Congress to postpone the Bangsamoro elections.” He further clarified that there are currently no discussions in Congress about delaying the elections and that the existing issues are insufficient to warrant a postponement.

One notable development in the region is the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament’s approval of Bill 351, which concerns the redistribution of seven parliamentary district seats initially assigned to Sulu. This may require adjustments to the automated election system (AES).

Garcia also reassured that Comelec has ample time to prepare for the BPE, citing their flexible scheduling. “There is still enough time because all our timelines are advanced. We really wanted to make advance dates and schedules so that we have leeway if something like this happens,” he explained, adding that as the election date nears, the available time becomes more constrained.

Additionally, Garcia mentioned that they have solicited recommendations from other BPE stakeholders on handling the “None of the Above” (NOTA) votes. “It was agreed upon that we will ask them for comments before we issue an official resolution on how to treat this none of the above,” he noted.

The provision of a NOTA option is part of the forthcoming BPE, as stated in the Bangsamoro Electoral Code. Article VII, Chapter 1, Section 14 specifies that the official ballots should include this option “as far as practicable,” alongside the names and photos/logos of all candidates.