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President Marcos says preparations for the 2025 BARMM elections, will continue while Malacañang studies the proposed postponement of the polls
MANILA, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Friday, November 22, that Malacañang is studying the proposed suspension of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections which is scheduled in May 2025.
Asked about calls to suspend the BARMM elections during a media interview in Lingayen, Pangasinan, Marcos said: “Well, we’re still studying it. Some of the local officials are saying because of the Supreme Court decision of separating Sulu from BARMM, maraming (there are many) implications in terms of the changes that have to be made, kung kaya natin (if we can do it).”
“Baka hindi natin kayang gawin by (We may not be able to do it by) May of next year,” he added.
The President said that aside from the BARMM districts and municipalities that will be affected by the exclusion of Sulu from the region, there are other matters that have to be attended to, including a new administrative code, a new local government code, and a new electoral code.
“Marami tayo na hindi nakita na naging unintended consequence ng decision ng Supreme Court. Kaya hangga’t maaari gagawin namin na isasabay natin. Pero kung hindi kaya, mas mabuti nang maging tama kaysa sa madaliin natin tapos magkagulo lang,” he added.
(We did not foresee the many unintended consequences of the Supreme Court decision. So as much as possible, we will try to hold [the BARMM elections] simultaneously [with the national and local elections]. But if it can’t be done, it’s better to be right rather than to be hasty, leading to confusion.)
Marcos said preparations for the BARMM elections will continue while Malacañang studies the proposed postponement of the polls.
There are pending bills in both houses of Congress — Senate Bill 2862 and House Bill 11034 — seeking to move the BARMM elections from May 12, 2025, to May 11, 2026.
The Supreme Court announced on September 9, its decision uphold ingthe constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, but that it also ruled to exclude Sulu from BARMM because the province did not ratify it during the 2019 plebiscite. – Rappler.com
