Photo courtesy of Joan Bondoc/Philippine News Agency (PNA).
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. supports the holding of Bangsamoro parliamentary elections but respects the legal and logistical issues behind their postponement, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Thursday.
Castro added that while Marcos would prefer the elections to push through, proceeding under the current circumstances could risk breaking the law.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) earlier announced the rescheduling of the March 30 polls, citing the lack of a final redistricting law and insufficient time to prepare.
Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said recommendations from the commission’s legal team and the Bangsamoro Study Group led to the decision, as the electoral body could not ensure a lawful and orderly vote.
The BARMM Parliament passed the redistricting measure on January 13, with Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua signing it into law a week later.
Marcos has repeatedly urged support for BARMM’s development amid governance challenges while emphasizing the importance of following legal processes.
The polls were originally slated for May 2022, postponed to May 2025 due to the pandemic, and later reset to October 2025 after a Supreme Court ruling on Sulu province’s inclusion.