BARMM elections may be postponed anew

MANILA, Philippines — A failure to pass a new districting law by Nov. 30 might lead to a new postponement of the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM, the Commission on Elections said yesterday.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the passage of the measure is necessary for the holding of automated elections in BARMM.

“If a new districting law is not passed by the end of the month, the Comelec would not be able to hold the automated elections before March 31,” Garcia said, noting that the Supreme Court earlier ordered the poll body to conduct an election by March.

Garcia said it is not also possible for the Comelec to conduct a manual parliamentary poll as this would violate the automated election law.

“This (BARMM election) can be done. But we need a law,” he added.

While noting that the Comelec is committed to holding an election, Garcia stressed that the poll body might have to defer its conduct until a new districting law is approved.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections earlier asked the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to pass the districting law before the Nov. 30 deadline to prevent another postponement of the BARMM polls.