The extent of postponing the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region In Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) polls is still up for discussion by the Senate and the House of Representatives in a brewing discussion of the bicameral conference committee next week.
The Senate earlier approved its own version of the bill resetting the BARMM elections to October 2025 on second reading.
The House of Representatives has already approved its own version of the measure seeking to reset the BARMM polls from May 12 next year to May 11, 2026.
President Marcos has certified the bill seeking to postpone the Bangsamoro election as urgent. A total of P2.5 billion is allocated for this.
Sen. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who chairs the Senate Committee on Local Government, is hoping five months will be enough since this was also the recommendation from the Executive.
"Siyempre we consulted them kung kaya na. Di naman tayo kumilos na basta natin sinet yung five months that was recommended as well by the Executive na yung five months would be enough (Of course, we consulted them to see if it was feasible. We didn't just act on our own, and set the five months, which was also recommended by the Executive, as sufficient)," said Ejercito during the Kapihan sa Senado Forum on Thursday, January 30.
"Siguro ang ano nila dun, tinimbang both pros and cons yung one year na postponement saka no postponement. Dapat nga sana six months pero ang ano nila ay gawing five months (Perhaps what they did was weigh both the pros and cons of a one-year postponement versus no postponement. It was supposed to be six months, but they decided to make it five months)," he added.
Ejercito said that they are looking to have the upper chamber's bill approved on third reading by Monday, to settle it hopefully with the bicam within a day, to have it ratified by Wednesday before the session break, and have it signed by President Marcos.
He also didn't eliminate the possibility of having another option other than between five months and one year depending on the discussion of the bicameral conference committee.
Sulu's possible inclusion
Less than two weeks ago, Senator Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri has filed a bill seeking to include the Province of Sulu in BARMM.
Senate Bill No. 2915 sets a plebiscite for this purpose and allows its constituents to once again vote on Sulu's inclusion, "now guided by the positive experiences that they have enjoyed over the past six years under the Bangsamoro Government."
Zubiri is pushing for this in tandem with Senate Bill No. 2862 filed by Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero which seeks to defer the parliamentary elections in the BARMM in view of the SC ruling excluding Sulu from the regional group
With the discussion BARMM polls' deferment in the offing, there's also a possibility that this plebiscite would take place within time of the postponement and would pave the way for another delay in the BARMM polls.
Ejercito also sees it this way it's "probably another postponement" in the making.
"We'll see if it takes off. Pag-uusapan po natin (We'll tak about) what will be the best solution pero ako rin I would support that in case kasi nga po nobody would be left out," he said.
"As I mentioned earlier, Sulu has always been part of the struggle of the Bangsamoro and we do not want to take chances na magkaroon in the future ng spark na naman ang any rebellion brought about by its exclusion," he added.
For now, he said that they would have to abide by the ruling of the Supreme Court (SC).
In September, the High Court ruled that the province of Sulu is not part of BARMM because its residents rejected the ratification of the Bangsamoro organic law during the plebiscite.
In a related development, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has opted to discontinue the printing of the election ballots for the BARMM polls.
"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," Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia said.