MANILA — Member of Bangsamoro Parliament Teng Ambolodto today, Nov. 10, expressed his total support for the proposal of Senate President Chiz Escudero and the leadership of the House of Representatives to reset the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections from 2025 to 2026.
Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has introduced Senate Bill No. 2862, proposing to postpone the first regular elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) from May 12, 2025, to May 11, 2026. House Speaker Martin Romualdez has also filed House Bill No. 11034, which mirrors Escudero’s proposal to defer the BARMM elections to May 2026.
This move comes in light of the recent Supreme Court decision excluding Sulu from the BARMM, which has significant impact the region’s electoral process.
“I strongly support the decision to reset the BARMM parliamentary elections to 2026,” said MP Ambolodto. “The Supreme Court’s ruling on the exclusion of Sulu introduces critical legal and administrative challenges. Given the complexity of these issues, additional time is needed to ensure a fair and transparent election process.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling, which excludes Sulu from the BARMM, has created the need for significant adjustments to the electoral districts and overall election planning. The affected areas will need to be carefully reconfigured to reflect the new political landscape, and logistical planning must be adjusted to accommodate these changes.
Ambolodto also pointed out that motions for reconsideration of high court’s ruling, have been filed by various parties. “While the motions for reconsideration are still pending, the reality is that the process of implementing the ruling—whether the decision is upheld or modified—will require time and careful planning. Holding the elections in 2025 would not allow sufficient time to make these critical adjustments,” he said. “Resetting the election to 2026 provides the necessary time to ensure that the electoral process is not rushed and can be conducted with the integrity it deserves.”
If the motions for reconsideration are resolved in favor of maintaining the exclusion of Sulu, the affected electoral districts must be redrawn, and the logistical plan must be adjusted accordingly to ensure fair representation of the remaining provinces in BARMM.
If the motions are favorably considered, and Sulu’s inclusion is not disturbed, then the status quo ante would have to be maintained. In either case, the adjustments will require significant planning, legal revisions, and coordination.
The proposed reset to 2026 will allow the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to:
– *Redraw parliamentary districting*, to reflect the exclusion of Sulu or any adjustments resulting from the motions for reconsideration.
– *Conduct voter education*, to inform the electorate about the changes and ensure they are adequately prepared for the parliamentary election.
– *Focus on regional priorities,* without the added complexity of aligning with national elections in 2025, allowing BARMM to address its specific needs and governance issues.
“This interim will provide the time and space needed to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and ensure the stability of governance in BARMM,” Ambolodto concluded.
MP Ambolodto emphasized that the proposed reset to 2026 is essential, regardless of the outcome of the motions for reconsideration, in order to ensure that BARMM’s parliamentary elections are conducted fairly, transparently, and in full compliance with the Supreme Court’s ruling, so that the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people can be truly reflected. (BTA)
Photo courtesy of BTA Member Atty. Teng Ambolodto