COMELEC Chairman George Erwin Mojica Garcia expressed the Commission’s current state of concern regarding the upcoming Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, following the latest decision of the Supreme Court.
“At present, we admit that the COMELEC is truly in a quandary about what will happen to the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Election,” Chairman Garcia said. “However, if the Bangsamoro Transition Authority can still find a way to comply, COMELEC will carefully assess whether we can make the necessary adjustments to hold the elections on March 30, 2026, as stated in the Supreme Court’s latest ruling.”
Garcia appealed to the understanding and cooperation of the people in the Bangsamoro region. He stressed that if the BTA intends only to pass measures related to districting, COMELEC sees no major obstacles.
“If what the Bangsamoro Transition Authority will pass pertains only to districting, then we have no problem. It appears that we can manage, and we will do everything possible to ensure that the election pushes through on March 30, 2026,” he noted.
However, Garcia emphasized that expanding the scope of changes could jeopardize the timeline.
“But if they intend to modify other aspects of the Bangsamoro election—such as accreditation of political parties or sectoral organizations—it seems we will no longer be able to meet the March 30 deadline,” he warned.
The Chairman reiterated COMELEC’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate, while underscoring the need for timely and coordinated action from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to ensure the successful conduct of the region’s first parliamentary elections.
