Comelec suspends ballot printing for BARMM elections

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has suspended the printing of ballots for the parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) following the passage of a law that redraws district seats.

On Wednesday, August 20, Comelec made this decision after the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) approved on third and final reading a measure redistributing seven parliamentary district seats originally allocated to Sulu.

This move has direct implications for ballot design and allocation, prompting the suspension of scheduled printing while Comelec studies the law's impact.

The initial ballot printing was set for Thursday, August 21, at the National Printing Office.

The new Bangsamoro law redraws district boundaries ahead of the region’s elections, an offshoot of a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that excluded Sulu from BARMM.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia stated on Wednesday in Cotabato City that the BARMM elections would proceed regardless of whether the parliament has 73 or 80 seats.

Election watchdogs have warned about potential complications due to delays and uncertainties in ballot preparation, given rival factions vying for control of the regional parliament.