Escudero: Senate President Francis Escudero has highlighted the need for thorough consideration and stakeholder consultation regarding the proposed postponement of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections. This proposal is significant as it involves the interests of various groups within the region.

According to Philippines News Agency, Escudero’s comments came after he filed Senate Bill No. 2862, which seeks to defer the first BARMM parliamentary elections to May 11, 2026. The measure aims to address the Supreme Court’s decision that excludes Sulu from the BARMM, necessitating a reconfiguration of jurisdictions and a reallocation of seats in the 80-member parliament.

Escudero explained that the Supreme Court’s ruling may require substantial amendments to existing laws, specifically Republic Act No. 11054 and the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Districts Act of 2024, which dictate the allocation of the statutory mandated 80 seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament. The existing 32 parliament
ary districts, including seven in Sulu, must be reallocated due to the ruling.

He further elaborated on the complexities involved, stating, “For example, there are seven or eight Sulu representatives in the BARMM parliament, what if they are no longer part of BARMM? How will that be allocated? It cannot be simply subtracted. What about the party-list groups that are all registered there and the sectoral groups that are also registered there?”

Escudero stressed the importance of making these decisions carefully, noting that the peace talks necessitate consultation with BARMM stakeholders. He expressed optimism that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. would certify the bill as urgent, given its importance and the tight schedule of the 19th Congress.

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the Bangsamoro Organic Law but declared that Sulu is not part of the BARMM, following the province’s rejection of the law’s ratification in a 2019 plebiscite. Meanwhile, the Commission on Elections has commenced receiving ce
rtificates of candidacy for the 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections, continuing until November 9, pending Congress’s decision on the potential postponement.

Some senators have expressed reservations about postponing the elections. Senator Ronald Dela Rosa noted that Congress had already agreed to defer the BARMM elections from May 2022 to May 2025 “for the last time,” cautioning against potential repercussions of another delay. Nonetheless, Dela Rosa remains open to discussing the pros and cons of a further postponement.

Conversely, Senator Aquilino Pimentel III voiced his hope that the BARMM elections would proceed as planned in May 2025, emphasizing the people’s right to vote and affirm or change their leaders. However, he has yet to review Escudero’s bill in detail.