Comelec pushing for ‘zero failure’ in BARMM 2025 polls

FILE PHOTO: Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman George Erwin Garcia. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of COMELEC

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is advocating for a “zero failure” for the 2025 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Comelec chairman George Garcia said on Thursday.

In the Senate subcommittee of finance hearing on the 2025 proposed budget for Comelec, Senator Imee Marcos asked how the poll body can address the security concerns in the Bangsamoro region. The senator cited an incident in the 2022 elections where some teachers in Cotabato withdrew from their electoral board duty due to fear for safety.

“It can be said that we are likewise anticipating the same but this time, not only in the city level but the entire region of the Bangsamoro. We are also preparing for any eventuality of teachers and any member of the electoral board who will not be reporting,” Garcia said.

READ: Some teachers replaced by cops for poll duties in Cotabato City — Comelec

Garcia clarified that the Ministry of Basic and Higher Technical Education of the Bangsamoro region is in charge of providing electoral board members who will be stationed in precinct polls. The ministry is like the counterpart of the Department of Education.

Meanwhile, the poll body chief said that Comelec has the “absolute discretion” for security preparations in the region.

“Like in 2022, there was not a single precinct in Bangsamoro that failed. We would like to assure you that we will be advocating for a zero failure of election in any of the precincts or municipalities in the entire Bangsamoro,” Garcia added.

However, the senator countered this by saying that the dispute in Cotabato would not contribute to the pure success of the 2022 polls. The poll body chief then said that they “will resolve the controversy that is now pending before the Comelec on this issue.”

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. previously asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines to ensure a peaceful election in the Bangsamoro region.

READ: Comelec changes schedule for BARMM parties

BARMM parliamentary elections are set to happen for the first time in the region. The schedule for the filing of certificates of candidacy for the parliamentary elections was moved from October 1-8, 2024 to November 4-9, 2024 after the Supreme Court ruled that Sulu province is not part of the region.