The Commission on Elections (Comelec) faces an impossible dilemma as the deadline for the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to pass a new districting law approaches, potentially forcing the poll body to choose between violating election laws or missing court-mandated deadlines.
Impossible Choices for Election Body
In an exclusive phone interview, Comelec Chairman George Garcia revealed that the commission is trapped in a "no win" situation regarding the upcoming Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE). The Supreme Court has ordered that the elections must be held not later than March 31, 2026, creating immense pressure on the election body.
Garcia explained that if the BTA fails to pass the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) districting law by November 30, 2025, Comelec would be forced to consider drastic measures. "It will no longer be possible to hold an automated election on or before March 31. We could go manual but it violates the automated election law," stated the poll chief.
Two Unpalatable Options
The Comelec chairman outlined two problematic scenarios facing the commission. The first option would involve conducting manual elections to meet the Supreme Court's March 31 deadline, despite this violating the country's automated election laws.
The alternative would be to delay the elections further to allow sufficient preparation time for automated voting. However, Garcia expressed doubts about this approach, noting that "even 30 days after is still not enough" to properly prepare for an automated BPE.
Race Against Time
The Supreme Court had previously directed the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to pass the new Barmm districting law by October 30, 2025, but this deadline has already passed without resolution. The High Tribunal simultaneously ordered Comelec to proceed with preparations and conduct the parliamentary elections by the March 2026 deadline.
Because of this tight timeline, Garcia emphasized that Comelec will continue appealing to the BTA for immediate action on the districting legislation. "The Bangsamoro election is our commitment to the people. This can be done. But we need a law," the Comelec chairman stressed, highlighting the critical importance of the districting law for conducting legitimate elections in the region.
The situation represents a significant challenge for Philippine democracy, as the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections are crucial for the political development of the autonomous region and fulfilling the government's commitments to the people of Mindanao.
