A group from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has once again called on the Supreme Court to urgently resolve pending petitions related to the region’s first parliamentary elections, scheduled for September 14, 2026.

The Alliance for Moral Advancement and New BARMM for All (Amana) held a rally outside the Supreme Court, stressing that only the high court can address what they described as a flawed and contested districting arrangement that could affect the integrity of the upcoming polls.According to Amana, the dispute centers on Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) Nos.86 and 88, which are being challenged for their constitutionality.

Petitioners argue that the apportionment of parliamentary districts is unequal, citing that the Special Geographic Areas (SGA), with a population of 214,703, were allocated two districts, while Marawi City, which has a larger population of 259,993, was only given one district.They have asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order (TRO) and to act on their petitions before the elections proceed.The group emphasized that the Court is the only institution capable of correcting what they consider a structural defect in the electoral setup.

Meanwhile, Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair George Erwin Garcia stated that preparations for the BARMM parliamentary elections are continuing as scheduled.He noted that no TRO has been issued by the Supreme Court that would halt the conduct of the elections.

Comelec has already completed voting simulation exercises, which included mock voting, vote counting, and transmission of results in clustered precincts involving registered voters.

Despite ongoing legal challenges, the poll body maintains that the elections will push through as planned, with administrative and technical preparations moving forward to ensure readiness on election day.