The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it will abide by the planned postponement of the 2025 Bangsamoro parliamentary election if lawmakers approve the proposed bill and the President signs it into law.

 In an ambush interview on Thursday, Comelec chairman George Erwin Garcia said the commission is ready to comply with legal instructions.  

According to Garcia, if the postponement of the Bangsamoro parliamentary polls pushes through, the poll body will need to set a special election which will also entail separate funding.   

“Dalawang balota po kasi ang gagamitin sa Bangsamoro sana, yung sa national at dun sa parliament but since ihihiwalay po ito, kakailanganin ng separate preparation, separate electoral board members, yung election paraphernalia at kasama na ang balota and therefore, ipinahayag po natin sa ating kongreso more particularly sa senado na kakailanganin po ng Comelec ng P2.5 billion para magsagawa technically ng isang special election dyan sa Bangsamoro,” Garcia told ABS-CBN News.  

Garcia clarified that the national and local election this coming May in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will not be affected by the proposed parliamentary polls postponement. 

“May eleksyon pa rin po mula senado hanggang Sangguniang Bayan o Sanggunian Panlunsod sa Bangsamoro kung sakali mang magkaroonng postponement ang apektado lamang po nito ay mga miyembro ng parlyamento,” he said.  

Lawmakers want to schedule the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections to October 15, 2025.