The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is hoping that both houses of Congress will pass the law setting the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on Sept. 14 before the end of March.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia said they are waiting for the Senate and the House of Representatives to submit the measure to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and sign it into a law.

“Hopefully, before the end of March, it will become a law. That’s when we will start requiring COC (certificate of candidacy) filings from district representatives and accredited political parties and sectoral organizations,” he said in an interview on Monday.

“When it becomes April, even if it is passed, there will still be a publication. Until it is effective, we cannot require COC filings immediately in the areas. We need a law. If there is a push back, all other activities related to election preparation will be pushed back,” he added.

Garcia said that since the BPE is automated polls, a long preparation is needed as it is only five months before the set date.

“The date should be fixed because we follow a timetable and timeline that must be followed. We are only given five months before September 14. If it is automated, there will be a lot of preparation,” he said.

“We really need a law. As long as there is no law, we have no date to talk about. Certified as urgent by the President and that’s why Congress rushed it. We see the desire to pass it immediately.”

Marcoleta donors

Meanwhile, Garcia said the three campaign donors of Senator Rodante Marcoleta during the May 2025 national and local polls are being asked to submit their reply.

The Comelec earlier ordered its Law Department to conduct an investigation against the three for failure to submit their report of contributions, one month after the national polls.

“On legal issues, the (Commission) en banc and Political Finance and Affairs Department know that when there is a formal case, the contributors will be held accountable. They haven’t been able to answer yet… There’s no probable cause to charge them yet. It’s still in the preliminary investigation,” he said.

The Comelec en banc earlier terminated the investigation against Marcoleta on the reported inconsistencies in his Statement of Contributions and Expenditures for lack of evidence. (PNA)