The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to resolve all Petitions for Registration as a Regional Parliamentary Political Party (RPPP) before the end of April, ahead of the September 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE). Comelec Chairman George Garcia emphasized the urgency, stating that the goal is to settle all 16 pending petitions before May begins.
Timeline for Resolution
Garcia explained that resolving these petitions promptly will eliminate uncertainties when candidates file their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) from May 5 to 7, 2026. “What we want is when they file their COCs, it’s already clear which party they’re running for,” he said.
Approved and Rejected Petitions
Earlier, the Comelec en banc approved the registration of 10 RPPPs, including the Bangsamoro Party, Alliance of Bangsamoro Tri-Peoples Party, Bangsamoro People's Democratic Party, Best Party, Progresibong Bangsamoro Party, Bangsamoro People's Party, Bangsamoro Federalist Party, BARMM Grand Coalition, Moro Ako Party, and Indigenous Settlers Sama and Minorities Alliance Party. Meanwhile, the petition of the People's Consultative Mushawara Party was rejected.
UBJP Case Under Review
The Comelec requires additional time to decide on the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which faces opposition from Sahabudin Panambulan Usop. Garcia assured that the resolution will be released before the COC filing period begins. “We are just observing due process,” he added.
Garcia noted that the UBJP’s previous accreditation for the BPE, which was postponed to September 14, 2026, by Republic Act 12317, will be considered. “It is one of the first political parties accredited by the Comelec during the first round of accreditation until everything went back to zero. But that’s a big factor,” he said. He did not rule out granting the opposition filed by Usop, who cited alleged violation of the election gun ban in the 2025 polls and acceptance of foreign contributions.
Call for Expedited Resolution
In a related development, Sultan Alim Saad Amate and Maulana Mamutuk urged the Comelec to resolve all RPPP petitions with dispatch. In a letter, they requested that “all pending matters affecting party registration, accreditation, nomination, and participation in the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections be resolved with dispatch and transparency before the COC filing period.” They emphasized that political party status is not a minor procedural matter, as it affects nomination, voter choice, campaign organization, and public understanding.
