THE Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC) yesterday said the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) must push through on October 13, echoing the position taken by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
In a statement, the group said: “The IEMC strongly supports the Comelec’s position to hold the BARMM Parliamentary Elections as scheduled, even if the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) enacts a redistricting and reapportionment law in the coming days.”
The IEMC is composed of eight civil society organizations, namely, the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG), National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), Notre Dame Broadcasting Corporation (NDBC), Notre Dame University (NDU), Notre Dame of Midsayap College (NDMC), Coalition for Social Accountability and Transparent (CSAT), Climate Conflict Action, and Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) Cotabato City.
The group said that delaying the BPE would not bode well for the implementation of the Bangsamoro peace agreement.
“Further postponement of the elections would unjustly delay the establishment of an elected regional government – a key component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) and the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL),” it said.
“The people of BARMM deserve leaders with a clear mandate from the electorate,” it added.
The Comelec last week announced the temporary deferment of the start of the printing of BPE ballots after it was told that the bill redistricting the BARMM may have an effect on the ballot faces and printing of ballots, among others.
It stressed, however, that the parliamentary polls will proceed on October 13 “at all cost.”
Aside from the BPE, the Comelec is also eyeing to hold the organizational assemblies for the election of sectoral representatives by September.
For the October 2025 BPE, the Bangsamoro Electoral Code states that the selection of sectoral representatives in the BARMM parliament shall be on the basis of election during assemblies of registered and accredited sectoral organizations.
Identified sectoral organizations are those of Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples (NMIP), settler communities, women, youth, traditional leaders, and the Ulama.
In line with this, the IEMC said the BTA should ensure that the guidelines for the conduct of the assemblies is in accordance with election laws.
“There is a great and urgent need for the guidelines for the conduct of the assemblies to elect the sectoral representatives to be aligned with the Bangsamoro Electoral Code and its Implementing Rules and Regulations,” it said.
“IEMC urges the BTA to promptly address provisions in the guidelines that may be in conflict with the electoral code to ensure lawful and fair sectoral representation in the BARMM Parliament,” it added.
