President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said Friday that the administration is reviewing calls to suspend the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections next year, citing challenges arising from a recent Supreme Court (SC) decision.
According to the President, the SC ruling that separates Sulu from the BARMM has created complications, including the restructuring of districts and provinces within the region.
“There are seven districts that were previously part of BARMM but are now without a congressman or a province. Additionally, eight municipalities lack a district and a province, but they won in the plebiscite and are part of BARMM. So now, we need to establish a new province,” he explained.
The President highlighted that the Bangsamoro Transition Authority must address legislative changes, including drafting a new administrative code, local government code, and electoral code to reflect the region’s updated structure.
“These are unintended consequences of the Supreme Court decision. As much as possible, we’ll try to align everything. But if it’s not feasible by May, it’s better to do it right than rush it and cause problems,” he said.
President Marcos added that suggestions are still being considered, including proposals to push through with the elections as scheduled while resolving the legal and structural adjustments.
“We just need to resolve the consequences of the Supreme Court decision,” he said.
Senate President Francis Escudero previously filed a bill to move the BARMM elections from May 12, 2025, to May 11, 2026. House Speaker Martin Romualdez also filed a counterpart measure resetting the date for BARMM elections.
Various local leaders from BARMM called on the President for a one-year delay due to the exclusion of Sulu from the autonomous region.
