The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has officially suspended a key step for the upcoming Bangsamoro elections, casting uncertainty over the entire electoral timeline. This move comes as the necessary legal framework from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) remains unfinished.
Filing of Candidacy Officially Suspended
In a significant development, the Comelec en banc has called off the scheduled period for filing Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE). The filing was originally set for January 5 to 9, 2026. This decision was formalized through Comelec Resolution No. 11183.
The poll body stated that the period is now suspended. It emphasized that a new schedule will be established only after the required parliamentary districting law is enacted by the BTA.
Root Cause: Unenacted Districting Law
The core reason for this suspension is the continued failure of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to pass a new law defining the parliamentary districts within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). This legislative action is a critical prerequisite for the Comelec to prepare and conduct the elections.
This delay persists despite a clear directive from the Supreme Court, which had ordered the BTA to enact the districting law by October 30, 2025. The Supreme Court's order was intended to ensure the Comelec could hold the parliamentary elections no later than March 31, 2026.
Implications and Next Steps
The suspension directly impacts the electoral calendar that Comelec had previously outlined. Earlier, through Resolution No. 11181, the commission had set the BPE on March 30, 2026, with the January COC filing. That resolution was issued under the assumption that the BTA would comply with the prescribed deadline.
With the filing suspended, the entire schedule for the 2026 Bangsamoro polls is now on hold. The Comelec has made it clear that the next steps depend entirely on the BTA's legislative action. The poll body will fix a new COC filing period "in due time" after the districting law is finally passed.
This delay raises important questions about the timeline of the region's political transition and the preparedness of all stakeholders for the upcoming democratic exercise.
