Diane Hora
Cotabato City —The Bangsamoro Grand Coalition (BGC) has formally requested the COMELEC to extend the registration and accreditation deadline for sectoral organizations in anticipation of the upcoming 2025 parliamentary elections.
While COMELEC had set June 7, 2024, as the deadline for registration and accreditation for sectoral organizations vying for sectoral seats in the region, the BGC is seeking an extension beyond this date.
In a letter addressed to COMELEC Chair George Garcia, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan emphasized the significance of securing certifications from the relevant ministries, regional offices, or agencies of the Bangsamoro government, as required under COMELEC Resolution No. 10987.
Governor Tan noted the recent release of Resolution No. 10984, the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC).
Governor Tan highlighted that the Bangsamoro Youth Commission, the Bangsamoro Commission for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples' Affairs (MIPA), the Office for Settler Communities, and the Bangsamoro Women Commission have just released the guidelines for the certification.
However, Governor Tan mentioned that guidelines on the certification of Ulama sectoral representatives have not yet been released.
Governor Tan added that the coalition's request aligns with the provisions outlined in the BEC IRR, which stipulates that the registration period for parliamentary sectoral organizations should not exceed nine months before the next elections unless the commission has set a new schedule.
The BGC is hopeful that their appeal will be approved to allow ample time for sectoral organizations to complete the necessary registration processes in preparation for the forthcoming elections.
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