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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Comelec ditches printing of BARMM polls ballots after Marcos announcement

Comelec ditches printing of BARMM polls ballots after Marcos announcement

Published Jan 29, 2025 09:33 am

At A Glance

  • The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer proceed with the printing of the election ballots for the first-ever polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on May 12, 2025.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia.jpgComelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia (Comelec's Facebook page)

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will no longer proceed with the printing of the election ballots for the first-ever polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on May 12, 2025.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia relayed this to reporters on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 29 after it was reported that President Marcos was seeking the immediate passage of a bill that aims to defer the first BARMM general polls.

"Because of these recent development, we did not yet proceed with the printing of the BARMM parliamentary ballots. Only the national and local elections ballots," Garcia told reporters in a Viber message.

"The reason is because we may end up opening the filing of candidacy anew for the region in the event of redistricting as a result of reapportionment of the slots originally assigned to Sulu," he said.

The next national and local polls, particularly the mid-term elections, are also scheduled on May 12 this year.

Marcos wants the BARMM polls to be held in October 2025 instead of May. As such, he certified the particular bill as urgent.

Asked if Comelec would carry out further adjustments in its poll preparations as a result of Marcos' pronouncements, Garica expressed a wait-and-see attitude.

"Hintayin lang po namin ang passage of law. Madami po gawing adjustments (Let's just wait for the law's passage. A lot of adjustments will be made.)

At any rate, the Comelec head honcho admitted that they didn't anticipate the President’s announcement.

"No po (No we didnt anticipate it), We thought all along that the parliamentary elections will push through," he said.

Related Tags

George Erwin M. Garcia ballots BARMM President Marcos
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