Supreme Court Halts Preparations for Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections

Metro Manila, Philippines – Preparations for the inaugural Bangsamoro parliamentary elections have been put on hold after the Supreme Court issued a temporary restraining order (TRO), prompting the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to pause all election-related activities just weeks before the scheduled October 13 voting.

In a nine-page resolution dated September 17, the Comelec en banc accepted the advice of its Bangsamoro Study Group and Law Department to suspend all measures linked to the electoral process until the Supreme Court either lifts the TRO or rules on the constitutionality of Bangsamoro Autonomous Act (BAA) No. 77.

BAA No. 77 reallocates seven parliamentary seats that were originally assigned to Sulu province, which was excluded from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region following an earlier Supreme Court decision. Several petitions argue that this legislation violates the Constitution and the Voter’s Registration Act by modifying electoral precincts during the election period.

The Supreme Court’s restraining order prevents Comelec, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and other involved agencies from enforcing BAA 77 with immediate effect while the case is under review.

"Bilang pagtalima sa inissue na TRO kahapon ay nag susupend ng lahat ng preparasyon patungkol sa conduct ng election," Comelec Chairman George Garcia told reporters after the en banc meeting, confirming that all election preparations have been suspended in compliance with the court’s order.

Garcia further announced that Comelec will file a manifestation on September 18 to clarify its intended actions in response to the TRO and will submit its formal comments on the petitions by September 22.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law, which established the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2018, initially scheduled the parliamentary elections earlier but faced multiple delays due to factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the absence of an articulated electoral code. This latest legal challenge adds another layer of uncertainty to the region’s electoral timeline.