The United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) has raised a resounding objection to the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) plan to postpone the October 13, 2025 parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Their position is clear: the poll body has no legal authority to suspend the exercise of the people’s right to vote across the entire region.
UBJP correctly points out that the Omnibus Election Code allows postponement only under extraordinary circumstances such as terrorism, widespread violence, or the destruction of election materials—and even then, only in specific political subdivisions like barangays, cities, or provinces. To extend that power to an entire autonomous region is a dangerous overreach, one that threatens to undermine both democratic principles and the hard-won peace in Mindanao.
The Comelec has invoked “force majeure,” citing floods in parts of Ligawasan, Pahamuddin, Tuguan, Kadayangan, and Nabalawag. Yet, as UBJP notes, these disruptions are temporary and localized, hardly justifying the disenfranchisement of an entire electorate. If classes have already resumed in these towns, why should the elections for the whole of BARMM be put on hold?
Beyond legality lies legitimacy. The elections are not just about choosing leaders; they are about honoring the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and reaffirming the Bangsamoro people’s right to self-determination. Delaying the polls after political parties have already launched campaigns and candidates have invested resources would not only trample on democratic rights but also erode public trust in both the peace process and state institutions.
This issue also touches on a broader constitutional principle: sovereignty resides in the people. The Supreme Court has consistently limited Comelec’s power to suspend elections, stressing that it cannot unilaterally impose delays outside the strict bounds of law. To interpret otherwise would open the door to political manipulation disguised as prudence.
The UBJP is right—elections are a duty, not an option. Comelec must resist the temptation to err on the side of postponement and instead fulfill its mandate to safeguard the people’s will. Any attempt to delay the BARMM polls would not only betray the Bangsamoro’s democratic aspirations but also risk rekindling doubts about the sincerity of the state in respecting autonomy.
In the end, the people of BARMM deserve the chance to choose their leaders on October 13, as promised by law and by peace agreements. Anything less would be a step backward.