A total of 22 aspirants have submitted their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for Regional Parliamentary District Representatives during the first day of the three-day filing period for the September 2026 Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), which began on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.
Filers from Basilan and Lanao del Sur
Data from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) reveals that the following individuals filed their COCs: Altun Angeles (Second District, Basilan), Rima Hassan (First District, Basilan), Jimael Salliman (Fourth District, Basilan), and Pendatun Mohamad (Fourth District, Basilan). From Lanao del Sur, filers include Edrieza Rimbang (Third District), Amenodin Sumagayan (Fourth District), Alexander Alonto (Second District), Arimao Asum (Fifth District), Princess Gandamra (First District), Abdulrauf Adiong (Third District), Hosni Macapodi (Sixth District), Ali Usman Mindalano (Seventh District), and Rashdi Adiong (Ninth District).
Maguindanao and Tawi-Tawi Aspirants
For Maguindanao del Norte, Asnawe Baraguir was the lone filer for the Third District. In Maguindanao del Sur, Rafsanajani Ali (Fifth District), Borguia Datumanong (Third District), Datu Edo Upam (Third District), and Edres Kasim (First District) filed their COCs. From Tawi-Tawi, Hadjimar Matba (Second District), Michael Ahaja (Fourth District), Rhosatina de Asis (Third District), and Julbert Que (First District) also registered.
Security and Expectations
Police personnel were deployed at the Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City to ensure security during the filing period. Comelec Chairman George Garcia stated in a phone interview that they anticipate up to 320 aspirants filing COCs by the end of the period on Thursday, May 7, 2026. "We expect at least 10 COCs filed for each district," Garcia said.
The BPE will elect 32 parliamentary district representatives: four from Basilan, nine from Lanao del Sur, five from Maguindanao del Norte, five from Maguindanao del Sur, four from Tawi-Tawi, three from Cotabato City, and two from the Special Geographic Area. Under Comelec Resolution 11216, filing hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bangsamoro Electoral Office through the concerned Office of the Provincial Election Supervisor.
