Manila: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is urging both houses of Congress to expedite the passage of a law that will set the date for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on September 14, aiming for completion before the end of March.
According to Philippines News Agency, Comelec Chairperson George Garcia emphasized the importance of timely legislation to ensure the election process can begin as scheduled. Garcia highlighted that the Senate and the House of Representatives need to submit the measure to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for signing into law. "Hopefully, before the end of March, it will become a law. That's when we will start requiring COC (certificate of candidacy) filings from district representatives and accredited political parties and sectoral organizations," Garcia stated during an interview on Monday.
Garcia noted the challenges posed by the timeline, explaining that if the legislation is delayed beyond March, it would also impact subsequent steps in the election preparation. Given that the BPE will involve automated polls, ample preparation time is necessary, especially with only five months remaining until the proposed election date. "The date should be fixed because we follow a timetable and timeline that must be followed. We are only given five months before September 14. If it is automated, there will be a lot of preparation," Garcia explained.
Garcia also stressed the urgency of a legal framework for the elections. "We really need a law. As long as there is no law, we have no date to talk about. Certified as urgent by the President and that's why Congress rushed it. We see the desire to pass it immediately," he added.
In a separate matter, Garcia mentioned the ongoing investigation involving campaign donors of Senator Rodante Marcoleta from the May 2025 national and local polls. The Comelec Law Department is probing three donors for failing to submit their report of contributions a month after the polls. "On legal issues, the (Commission) en banc and Political Finance and Affairs Department know that when there is a formal case, the contributors will be held accountable. They haven't been able to answer yet. There's no probable cause to charge them yet. It's still in the preliminary investigation," Garcia stated.
The Comelec en banc has previously closed the investigation against Marcoleta regarding inconsistencies in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures due to lack of evidence.
