Malacañang on Wednesday said it fully respects the Supreme Court’s (SC) decision to postpone the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections, calling it a “pivotal step” toward strengthening constitutional order in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In a statement, the Office of the President (OP) stressed that the ruling ensures the elections will be held on solid constitutional and legal grounds.
“The Office of the President recognizes that this ruling is a pivotal step in ensuring that the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections will be conducted on the firmest constitutional and legal foundations,” it said.
“The Palace underscores its unwavering commitment to safeguarding the peace process, strengthening democratic institutions, and protecting the political rights of all citizens in the Bangsamoro,” it added.
The SC on Tuesday declared unconstitutional the redistricting laws enacted by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which were supposed to guide the region’s first parliamentary elections scheduled for October 13, 2025. The ruling deferred the polls until a valid legal framework is established.
The OP reaffirmed its support for constitutionally mandated institutions as they address the next steps, saying this ensures the Bangsamoro people’s democratic aspirations are realized “within the framework of the Constitution and the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).”
“This is part of the continuing national effort to achieve just and lasting peace in Mindanao, anchored on meaningful autonomy, the rule of law, and the exercise of suffrage,” the OP said.
The BARMM has been under a transitional government since 2019 after the ratification of the BOL.
In its Sept. 30 ruling, the SC struck down Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 58 and BAA No. 77, which created and reconstituted parliamentary districts in BARMM. The court also directed the BTA to propose a replacement law outlining the region’s districts by the end of the month.
