COTABATO CITY—Several personalities with long-standing ties to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were not among those who will serve in the first regular Bangsamoro Parliament following Monday’s balloting. Most of them are incumbent members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), or the interim Bangsamoro Parliament, but did not make it to the regular parliament,
ILIGAN CITY— Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. has expressed his support for the continued leadership of Abdulraof Macacua as chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) following the region’s first parliamentary elections. Adiong, who also serves as secretary-general of the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC), congratulated Macacua on what he
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — “The struggle for the development and improvement of our homeland, the upliftment of the lives of our people, and the struggle in the path of Allah continues.” This was the defiant declaration of former assemblyman Froxy Macarambon, the first nominee of the Moro Ako Party, as he thanked supporters who
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has released the list of winning district representatives in the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections on the afternoon of Sept. 16 (Wednesday). The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) held its first parliamentary elections on Sept. 14. The following elected district representatives are allocated 32 seats in
COTABATO CITY — Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen Sarmiento has lauded all stakeholders in the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE), describing them as the “defining milestone yet in the faithful implementation” of the Mindanao peace process. He said a new dawn had broken for the Bangsamoro, 12 years after the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement
MANILA, Philippines — As Congress prepares to discuss in a bicameral conference committee a proposal to postpone the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (BSK) elections by extending officials’ terms to five years, concerns are again being raised over the accountability of leaders in the Philippines’ smallest political units. The House of Representatives approved House Bill No.
COTABATO CITY — With the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary election concluded, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) must unite to press forward with governance, an official said. Raby Angkal, BTA secretary-general, called for unity among BTA members, also known as the interim Bangsamoro Parliament, tasked with governing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the
COTABATO CITY – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman and United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) president Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim has lauded all the stakeholders for the successful conduct of the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE). Ebrahim, also called “Chairman Kagi Murad,” expressed hopes that the democratic continuation of the struggle “will usher in
MANILA, Philippines — The House of Representatives adopted the Senate’s version of a bill extending the term of village and youth councilors to five years on Wednesday, sending the measure that effectively postpones their elections straight to Malacañang for executive action. Sorsogon Rep. Marie Bernadette Escudero moved for the House to adopt Senate Bill No.
COTABATO CITY- A police officer was wounded after unidentified armed men fired at a security checkpoint in Barangay Kadingilan, Nabalawag, Special Geographic Area (SGA), Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) on Wednesday, a police official said. Capt. Steffi Salanguit, spokesperson for Police Regional Office Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (PROBAR), identified the wounded officer as Pat.
MANTICAO, Misamis Oriental – Member of Parliament Abdullah Macapaar, popularly known as Commander Bravo of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has commended the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for helping make the recent Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections peaceful and successful. In a letter on Wednesday, Macapaar lauded NBI Director Melvin Matibag for listening to MILF
BULUAN, MAGUINDANAO DEL SUR — At least 800 families have fled their homes in Barangay Kadingilan, Nabalawag, in the Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM) due to volleys of gunfire that triggered tension in the community. The displacement began on Tuesday, a day after the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections last
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine National Police (PNP) steps up its investigation into gun attacks, explosions, and other incidents and vows charges against suspects during the historic Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections. In a statement on Wednesday, PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said authorities obtained leads that could help
COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Party (BaPa), the regional political party of one of the factions of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), has conceded in the recent Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE). BaPa garnered 35,671 votes, or 1.9 percent of the total votes cast in the regional balloting, below the 2.5% threshold to get one seat.
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has released the list of winning representatives of the political parties and sectoral organizations in the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections. The Comelec concluded the conduct of the elections on Tuesday evening after the electoral exercise resumed in Maluso, Basilan on Tuesday. The town experienced delays from flagging
MANILA, Philippines – Four retired Supreme Court justices will appear before the Senate impeachment court on Wednesday, Day 26 of the impeachment trial, as senator-judges revisit the number of votes needed to convict Vice President Sara Duterte. Retired Chief Justices Artemio Panganiban, Reynato Puno and Hilario Davide Jr., along with retired Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna,
Political allies of the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition swept the district races in Lanao del Sur, taking six of nine seats in Monday's first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections. Provincial Election Supervisor Mohammad Nabil Mutia announced the results while chairing the provincial board of canvassers. The sweep gives the local alliance a strong footing in the newly elected parliament.
COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — The Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) and the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) dominated the race for seats in the 80-member regular Parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), according to unofficial counts from the Commission on Elections’ media server on Tuesday. Both parties are led by former
MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has found no confirmed evidence that a Chinese research vessel conducted drilling activities during its 28-day stay at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, according to its spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said the vessel’s movements indicated surveillance or research activities, but its
MANILA, Philippines — The first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections (BPE) registered a final voter turnout of 84.34 percent, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). This was announced by Comelec chair George Erwin Garcia at 11:20 p.m. on Tuesday as the poll body concluded the elections on the same day. “Final turnout of voters for the
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has allocated parliamentary seats among four winning political parties in the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections, with Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) and United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) getting the two highest numbers of allotted seats. The RBOC announced that the following political parties secured their seats in the
MANILA, Philippines — The pre-shaded ballots flagged in Maluso, Basilan, during the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will be brought to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office for investigation, the poll body said Tuesday. The move was ordered in a memorandum issued by Comelec Executive Director Teopisto Elnas to Senior Staff Monitor in Basilan Director
COTABATO — The Philippines’ autonomous Muslim south appeared headed for a hung parliament on Tuesday, unofficial results showed, a day after landmark elections held amid scattered violence. With nearly every vote counted, none of the parties contesting seats in the 80-member parliament had managed to win the 41-seat majority required to form a government before
The Armed Forces of the Philippines says it is ready to deploy additional troops in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao if unrest follows the September 14 parliamentary elections. Its spokesperson told reporters on Tuesday that preparations are underway, while declining to speculate on specific scenarios. Security planners want forces positioned to move quickly if post-election violence breaks out in the region.
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Following the historic Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, all 901 police personnel from Northern Mindanao deployed to secure polling in Lanao del Sur are safe and fully accounted for. The Police Regional Office-10 (PRO-10) confirmed Tuesday afternoon that its contingents, who served as security forces and
MANILA, Philippines – Duyog Bangsamoro, a multisectoral coalition, on Tuesday weighed in on the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), urging the incoming Parliament to sustain the peace process and fulfill the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Representatives of the
MANILA, Philippines — Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has been proclaimed as the winner of district representative race of Maguindanao del Norte 3rd District in the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections. READ: BARMM chief wins parliamentary district seat, calls for unity Macacua was proclaimed by the Provincial Board of Canvassers on Tuesday afternoon. According to
MANILA, Philippines — Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has been proclaimed winner of the parliamentary elections in Maguindanao del Norte’s 3rd District. Macacua’s victory was announced by the Provincial Board of Canvassers on Tuesday afternoon. According to election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting’s data server as of 3:51 p.m., Macacua received 37,162 votes
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The first-ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) marked a historic milestone for the peace process, but the exercise was “severely undermined by systemic disenfranchisement, technical blunders, and a heavy military presence that sparked a climate of fear,” an election observer group reported. In its
MANTICAO, Misamis Oriental — The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) did not receive a single formal election-related complaint while its monitors conducted roving operations in various polling centers during Monday’s historic Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections. Atty. Allan Panolong, IBP president, said they were prepared to provide legal assistance related to the
MANILA, Philippines — Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairperson Sheriff Abas has won the representative race in the first district of Cotabato City for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections with over 12,000 votes. According to the data server of election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting as of 3:51 p.m. on Tuesday, Abas obtained
COTABATO CITY – Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has called for unity among all Bangsamoro leaders and for newly elected officials to accept their mandates with humility and responsibility following the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) on Monday. “The election is over, but our work does not end here. Now is the time to
ISABELA CITY, Basilan — The Basilan Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) formally proclaimed on Tuesday afternoon two of the four district representative winners in the province who will sit as members of the Bangsamoro Parliament. Chaired by provincial election supervisor Atty. Miguel Roberto Dela Peña, the PBOC convened at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall in
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Tuesday said the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections were generally peaceful and orderly despite several violent incidents that left four people dead. After four postponements, the region’s first parliamentary elections finally pushed through on Monday, Sept. 14. Violent incidents, including clashes in Cotabato City left four
COTABATO CITY — The son of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairperson Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim was proclaimed Tuesday as the first parliamentary district representative of the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM). The SGA, composed of municipalities carved out of North Cotabato, has two parliamentary district
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) intends to file a case against the perpetrators of the pre-shading that compromised the ballots in Maluso, Basilan. Resolving the situation caused a delay the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections in the town. According to Comelec Chairperson George Erwin Garcia on Tuesday, the poll body has already identified
MANILA, Philippines – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said Tuesday that winners of the regional parliamentary political party (RPPP) race and sectoral representatives in the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections are expected to be proclaimed before midnight. READ: Senator urge Comelec to probe violence, fraud in BARMM polls
MANILA, Philippines — Election watchdog Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) had counted 98.56 percent of the votes cast in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliamentary Elections on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 15. As of 1:06 p.m., the PPCRV’s server showed that 5,137 of the 5,212 precincts had reported, signifying that 75
COTABATO CITY – Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff Gen. Antonio Nafarrete on Tuesday described the historic Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE) as “generally peaceful and successful.” Nafarrete told reporters on the sidelines of the Regional Board of Canvassing center inside the 6th Infantry Division headquarters that the violence reported before and during the balloting
MANILA, Philippines — The winners of the regional parliamentary political party (RPPP) race and sectoral representatives in the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections are expected to be proclaimed before midnight on Tuesday, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said on Tuesday. The electoral exercise was extended on Tuesday in Maluso, Basilan
MANILA, Philippines — Despite reported incidents of violence and compromised ballots, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday expressed delight as the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections registered over 82 percent of total voters’ turnout. This mood prevails in the commission even if the conduct of elections is not yet finished for Maluso, Basilan. According to
The Commission on Elections has received 98.3 percent of expected election returns for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections. By 10:30 a.m. Tuesday the total stood at 5,129 returns. Only a handful of precincts in Maluso, Basilan had yet to report, and Comelec is tracking those outstanding submissions.
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has received 98.4 percent of expected election returns (ERs) for the first Bangsamoro Parliamentary elections as of Tuesday morning, with the poll body awaiting ERs from certain precincts in Maluso, Basilan. According to Comelec’s official website, it has already received 5,129 of the expected 5,212 ERs. READ: PNP
MANILA, Philippines – The Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) remained the top regional parliamentary political party in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections, followed by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) according to the data from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV). Based on PPCRV’s data server as of 9:56
LAMITAN CITY, Basilan – Voting resumed at 7 a.m. on Tuesday in 36 precincts in Maluso, Basilan, where polling was suspended Monday after authorities discovered that the ballots there were pre-shaded. Brig. Gen. Frederick Sales said the new ballots arrived in Maluso town at 9:30 p.m. on Monday. “The voting centers for the 36 precincts
MANILA, Philippines – Here is the updated unofficial parallel count of the BARMM Parliamentary elections.
MARAWI CITY – The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has proclaimed the winners of five of nine parliamentary district seats in Lanao del Sur. Atty. Mohammad Nabil Mutia, Comelec provincial election supervisor, identified the winners as follows: READ: Comelec: BARMM ERs now 97.79% on Tuesday morning 2nd District Rep – Hamza Gauraki (UBJP) 4th District Rep
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday maintained that the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections were mostly peaceful. “While there are pockets of security challenges, the BARMM elections were peaceful and orderly in almost all parts of the region,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said
MANILA, Philippines — Officials from the Office of the Ombudsman and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are set to testify Tuesday, Day 25 of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial, as the Senate impeachment court examines allegations of unexplained wealth, discrepancies in her Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALNs), and prohibited business
MANILA, Philippines — Senators have condemned the violence and reported irregularities that marred the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and urged the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to investigate the incidents and ensure the integrity of the polls. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said Tuesday that he