Comelec warns BARMM polls may be postponed anew without new districting law

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) stated that the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) may be postponed anew if a new districting law is not passed by November 30.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia emphasized that the passage of the districting law is necessary for holding automated elections in BARMM.

Garcia warned that without the law, the Comelec would not be able to conduct the election before March 31, as ordered by the Supreme Court.

He also clarified that a manual parliamentary poll is not possible as it would violate the automated election law.

The Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) previously urged the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to pass the districting law before the November 30 deadline to prevent another postponement.

LENTE stressed that the Bangsamoro people have the right to timely and genuine elections.