MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the measure postponing the parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Malacañang confirmed on Friday, February 21.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin confirmed to the media that Marcos signed Republic Act No. 12123, which resets the BARMM elections to October 13. The polls were originally scheduled on May 12, the same time as the national and local elections in the rest of the country.
The Malacañang Records Office transmitted a copy of RA 12123 to the Comelec on Thursday, February 20.
The reset date of the BARMM elections was first revealed by Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Garcia during a press conference of an agreement signing with malls and telecommunications companies for the upcoming midterm elections.
Though confirming the law’s passage, Garcia said that the commission needed to see the precise wording of the law, as he was concerned with procurement amid the new timeline.
Some inquiries the Comelec still had were whether they would have to open the filing of certificates of candidacy for the entire Bangsamoro, and where they would get the P2.5 billion needed to conduct the parliamentary election.
“We want to know, will the Bangsamoro parliamentary election still be a continuation of the national and local election, at least for purposes of procurement?… Because if this is a continuation, will we conduct a new procurement, or will we just make repeat orders?” said Garcia.
Garcia noted how procurement takes two to three months. He noted a “tight” timeline of printing ballots by July to August, and shipping out all election paraphernalia by September to make it in time for the October 13 election.
“Ngayon, may listahan kami ng mga kandidato. Pero paano ‘yung kandidatong ‘to, yung kanyang bayan na kinabibilangan, nalipat pala ng parliamentary district? So hindi na makatotohanan ‘yung listahan ng mga kandidato. That’s why very important na makita kaagad natin kung paano ‘yung final look as signed by the President,” said Garcia.
(Now, we have a list of the candidates. But what if these candidates and their districts have been transferred? So this list would no longer be accurate. That’s why it’s very important that we immediately see the final look of the law, as signed by the President.)
Marcos earlier certified as urgent the bill resetting the first parliamentary elections of the BARMM. The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which leads the autonomous government, said a postponement would allow for better preparation. – Rappler.com