COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 13 December) – Members of the Bangsamoro Parliament expressed optimism that a new law on redistricting can be passed before the year ends to ensure the holding of the first regional parliamentary elections on 30 March 2026. This came after the conclusion of the series of consultations on the redistricting bills on Friday. “The public discussions being conducted by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority on at least six districting bills would ensure compliance with the legal requirements for holding the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao March 2026 elections,” said Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo, chair of the committee on local government. The consultations were held in Cotabato City and all provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Maguindanao del Sur), as well as in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) from 6 to 12 December. According to Sinarimbo, the bills underwent “rigorous scrutiny,” with the discussions tackling the reconfiguration of town clusters in Tawi-Tawi, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur. Six redistricting bills were filed – Parliament Bill Nos. 403, 407, 408, 411, and 415, which seek to establish the 32 districts, and PB 416, which proposes two districts for the SGA. Floor Leader and Parliament Spokesperson John Anthony “Jet” Lim assured the public that the final draft will reflect a balance between strict constitutional requirements and the “voices gathered directly from Bangsamoro communities.” The committee on rules and local government are now tasked with adjusting boundaries based on ground realities discussed during the hearings and consolidating the oral and written submissions into a harmonized bill. The bill will be submitted for plenary deliberation and a vote within the month. The regional parliament had to craft a new redistricting law after the Supreme Court ruled that Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) Nos. 58 and 77 were unconstitutional. The SC ruled that BAA 77 violated the Bangsamoro Organic Law’s requirements of contiguity, compactness, adjacency, and minimum population for districts, and for unconstitutionally granting Congress and the President powers over apportionment and interim appointments reserved exclusively to the Bangsamoro Parliament. It said BAA 77 was enacted after the start of the election period, contrary to the Voter’s Registration Act. The Court added that implementing BAA 58 after Sulu’s exclusion was likewise unconstitutional because it would result in a Parliament with fewer than the 32 district seats required under the BOL’s 80-seat composition. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)
