Manila—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has announced a new schedule for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the upcoming Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections.
According to the Philippines News Agency, Comelec Resolution No. 11051 issued Wednesday has postponed the original filing period from October 1-8 to November 4-9, 2024. The resolution specifies that candidates for District Representative in the BARMM parliament will now submit their candidacy papers from November 4 to November 9, 2024, between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM at the Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO).
Additionally, the deadline for regional parliamentary political parties (RPPP) to file their List of Nominees and Manifestations of Intent to Participate has also been extended to November 9. All documents, including the List of Nominees, Certificate of Acceptance of Nomination, and Affidavit of Non-Affinity, must be filed together with the Manifestation of Intent to participate in the Parliamentary Elections at the BEO.
Comelec Chairman George Garcia attributed the rescheduling to the recent Supreme Court decision that excluded Sulu province from the BARMM. This ruling necessitated adjustments in the administrative jurisdiction over Sulu, impacting the schedule of pre-election activities. Despite these changes, Garcia assured that the new filing timeline would not delay the Commission’s preparations for the BARMM polls, which are set to occur concurrently with the midterm elections on May 12, 2025.