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Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections

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Davao Region police deploy personnel, assets for Bangsamoro election security

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

THE POLICE Regional Office XI has formally committed its security forces and logistical assets to help safeguard the upcoming, historic first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections.

PRO XI regional director PBGEN Leon Victor Z. Rosete joined police chiefs from neighboring regions at Camp BGen Salipada K. Pendatun in Parang, Maguindanao del Norte on Tuesday, July 14, for a high-level security summit and deployment ceremony.

The strategic push began with the Regional Joint Security Control Center (RJSCC) meeting at the PRO-BAR Multi-Purpose Center. 

Presided over by Comelec BARMM regional election director Atty. Ray F. Sumalipao and PMGEN Wilson Joseph F. Lopez, OIC of the Office of the Deputy Chief PNP for Operations, synchronized inter-agency tactical plans to secure the highly anticipated polls.

On Tuesday afternoon, PBGEN Rosete joined the formal send-off and turnover ceremony at the regional grandstand, where election personnel, security forces, and critical logistics were officially dispatched to their respective areas of responsibility.

The security mobilization highlights a massive inter-regional effort to ensure the integrity of the autonomous region’s transition, preventing local security vacuums and potential cross-border spillover violence.

Rosete emphasized that securing the landmark electoral exercise requires strict cross-border cooperation.

“The conduct of peaceful, orderly, and honest elections is a shared responsibility,” Rosete said in a statement. “PRO-XI stands in solidarity with our counterparts and partner agencies in providing all necessary support to ensure that every eligible voter can exercise their right to vote safely and freely.”

The security operations align with the broader directives of PNP Director General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., prioritizing multi-agency coordination to protect democratic processes in Mindanao.

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Focus shifts to BARMM September 2026 polls as region transition enters definite autonomy

by Contributor
written by Contributor

COTABATO CITY— The public’s attention is increasingly shifting to the first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on September 14, 2026, as preparations continue and officials reaffirm that the political exercise remains on track, marking a critical stage in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) transition toward full self-governance.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec), together with government security forces and partner agencies, is sustaining full-scale preparations for the elections despite pending legislative proposals related to the Bangsamoro polls.

Speaking during the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election Forum at the Western Mindanao Command headquarters in Zamboanga City, Comelec Chairman George Garcia stressed that there is currently no legal basis to postpone the elections.

“Wala na kayong dapat isa-isip kung hindi tuloy na tuloy na ang eleksyon sa September 14,” Garcia said.

According to Garcia, the elections have already been postponed four times in the past. He noted that there is no Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) from the Supreme Court and no existing law mandating another postponement, allowing election preparations to proceed without interruption.

“As long as the COMELEC is concerned, wala na pong makakapigil sa halalan sa Bangsamoro sa September 14. Tuloy na tuloy po ito,” he added.

Garcia acknowledged the existence of pending legislative measures concerning the elections but emphasized that any decision on such proposals rests with Congress.

“Bagamat alam naman po namin na meron pong mga naka-pending na mga panukalang batas, yan naman po ay diskresyon ng ating Kongreso. Sila naman po ang may final say,” he said.

While lawmakers deliberate on the proposals, Garcia said the poll body and government agencies will continue carrying out all necessary preparations to ensure a peaceful and credible electoral process.

“Si COMELEC, kasama ang ating security forces, kasama ang iba pang ahensya ng pamahalaan ay tuloy-tuloy lamang po ang aming ginagawang paghahanda,” he said.

The 2026 BPE is widely regarded as a key milestone in the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), with voters set to elect members of the Bangsamoro Parliament under the region’s parliamentary form of government.

Election and security officials have been conducting command conferences, coordination meetings, and operational planning activities across the region as part of efforts to strengthen electoral security, logistics, and voter readiness ahead of the polls.

With no official order suspending the elections and preparations continuing at full pace, government agencies are increasingly focusing on ensuring the successful conduct of what is expected to be a defining step in BARMM’s transition from an interim governing arrangement to a fully functioning autonomous parliamentary government.

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Comelec ready for 1st BARMM polls 

by Rhoda Grace Saron
written by Rhoda Grace Saron

THE COMMISSION on Elections (Comelec) has assured the public that all systems are a go for the historic, first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, officially scheduled for Sept. 14, 2026.

Speaking at a recent Orientation on the Bangsamoro Peace Process, Bangsamoro Electoral Code, and Media Safety held in Davao City, Comelec spokesperson John Rex Laudiangco said that the poll body is fully equipped and prepared to handle the landmark regional elections.

To ensure the smooth execution of the polls, Comelec is expected to field a massive contingent of over 13,000 personnel. 

This figure excludes the separate, extensive deployment of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The electoral exercise will serve a total of 2,393,202 registered voters spread across 108 component cities and municipalities.

Voting will take place in 1,186 designated voting centers, which are further broken down into 5,212 clustered precincts across 2,185 barangays.

Laudiangco emphasized that security timelines and personnel allocations are already being finalized on the ground.

“We are gearing up already,” Laudiangco said. “While we don’t have the exact security personnel numbers yet, as early as last month, we conducted a command conference specifically to map out deployments. Because the official election period begins on July 30, we are reminding the public that they will begin seeing checkpoints by that date. Additionally, the deployment of our PNP partners will be visible by July 16.”

The Comelec spokesperson also noted that specialized security protocols will be enforced in historically volatile areas to safeguard voters and election workers alike.

“In areas with a history of election-related incidents, the public can be assured that we will deploy more security forces,” Laudiangco added. “In fact, it won’t just be the PNP and AFP; a significant number of Comelec personnel will be stationed on the ground to help manage the election. We will also release the official list of election areas of concern once the election period starts.”

The upcoming September polls mark a critical milestone in the peace architecture of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), establishing its formal parliamentary governance structure.

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UBJP accreditation still pending as COMELEC is set to finalize BARMM election candidates

by Contributor
written by Contributor

MANILA — The United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) has yet to obtain final accreditation from the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) for the September 14, 2026 first-ever Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, leaving its participation uncertain as the region’s electoral calendar advances.

As of late April to early May 2026, COMELEC has not released a formal decision on UBJP’s accreditation. The party has complied with procedural requirements, including the submission of its sworn list of authorized signatories and other documentary obligations, but approval remains pending.

Without accreditation, UBJP is not yet included in the official roster of political parties authorized to field candidates in the BARMM polls. Election rules require full approval before parties can formally participate in the parliamentary race.

The delay forms part of a broader re-accreditation process mandated for all political parties in the region ahead of the 2026 elections. COMELEC required both new and existing groups to reapply as part of efforts to standardize eligibility and ensure compliance with updated regulations.

The process has also been complicated by legal challenges involving some applicants, including petitions opposing the accreditation of certain groups, as well as reported internal issues within UBJP. These factors have contributed to the absence of final decisions on several applications.

COMELEC has yet to announce a complete and final list of accredited parties for the BARMM elections, and no definitive timeline has been provided for resolving pending applications.

The BARMM electoral calendar is already underway, beginning with April 7, the deadline for the filing of accreditation or registration of Regional Parliamentary Political Parties (RPPPs). This was followed by April 29 for party conventions, while the filing of certificates of candidacy will end on May 7, marking a critical phase in determining the official lineup of contenders.

Subsequent key dates include the start of the election period on July 16 and the official start of the campaign period on July 30. Campaigning will be prohibited on the eve of the polls, September 13, ahead of election day on September 14, 2026. Candidates are then required to file their Statements of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE) after the elections by October 14, also marking the end of the first-ever BARMM elections.

With the filing of certificates of candidacy approaching, the uncertainty surrounding party accreditation continues to affect preparations for the region’s first parliamentary elections under its new political system.

The BARMM elections, set for September 14, will mark the first parliamentary polls in the region, transitioning governance from the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority to a fully elected 80-member parliament.

The exercise is widely seen as a key milestone in the implementation of the 2014 peace agreement between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

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