NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Third Regular Session 
)
& - 2. . ■ ''
24 mV-4 P2:23
SENATE
S. B. No. 2862
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO
AN ACT
RESETTING THE FIRST REGULAR ELECTIONS IN THE BANGSAMORO 
AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE ARTICLE XVI, SECTION 13 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11054, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ORGANIC LAW FOR THE BANGSAMORO 
AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO", AS AMENDED
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Republic Act (RA) No. 11054 or the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Organic Law was enacted into law on 
27 July 2018.
As an Organic Law, RA No. 11054 is meant to establish a political entity and 
provide the basic structure of government, recognizing the justness and 
legitimacy of the cause of the Bangsamoro people and the aspirations of Muslim 
Filipinos and all indigenous cultural communities, in the Bangsamoro 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).1
Concomitantly, to ensure a smooth transition and prevent a political 
interregnum. Article XVI of the above-cited Organic Law provides for a 
Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to serve as an interim government in 
the BARMM taking into account post-conflict transition and normalization.
As such, the holding of the first regular elections for the Bangsamoro 
Government hinges on both having the existence of working institutions and a 
fully functioning bureaucracy, where security is likewise assured to both voters 
and in the conduct of an election.
1 Section 3, Article I, RA No. 11054.


While the reasons behind the first postponement brought about by the passage 
of RA No. 11593 on 29 October 2021 may be different—the COVID-19 
pandemic, and the absence of a Bangsamoro Electoral Code—recent 
developments speak nonetheless of institutional and statutory issues that 
warrant another postponement. More succinctly put, such developments refer 
to disenfranchisement and the need to revisit substantive laws.
One is the status of the Special Geographic Area (SGA) in the Bangsamoro 
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao consisting of eight (8) newly formed 
municipalities, to wit: Pahamuddin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Tugunan, 
Ligawasan, Malidegao, Old Kabakan, and Kapalawan. Relative to this, the BTA 
Parliament passed Parliament Resolution No. 499 on 27 September 2024, 
urging Congress to enact a law creating a new province to be known as 
Kutawato Province.
The creation of a new province necessitates the creation of a legislative district 
as well.2 Failure on the part of Congress to do so may result in the 
disenfranchisement of voters in the 8 municipalities as enumerated above, since 
they will not be able to vote for a governor and a representative. Hence, this 
call for the creation of a province and a corresponding legislative district is a 
matter that needs to be looked into and deliberated upon by Congress if only 
to avoid such disenfranchisement.
Moreover, the recent case of Province ofSuiu v. Senate (09 September 2024, 
G.R. No. 242255) also provides a compelling reason to postpone the 
Bangsamoro regular elections given its legal implications on the exclusion of 
Sulu from the autonomous region. This ruling may require a substantial 
correction of existing laws, particularly RA No. 11054, and the Bangsamoro 
Pariiamentary Districts Act of 2024 (BAA No. 58, 2024), referring to the 
allocation of the statutorily mandated eighty (80) seats in the Bangsamoro 
Parliament.
Thus, this bill proposes to further reset the first regular elections for the 
Bangsamoro Government until 11 May 2026, to resolve the concerns as above 
discussed, and further strengthen in the process the autonomy envisioned 
under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
Speedy approval of this measure is eagerly sought.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED.
2 Section 5 (3), Article VI of the Constitution. Serna v. COMELEC (16 July 2008, GR No. 177597)
2


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBUC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
Third Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No. 2862
24 N0\
Rl:CE> 0**'
-4 P2:23
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO
AN ACT
RESETTING THE FIRST REGULAR ELECTIONS IN THE BANGSAMORO 
AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE ARTICLE XVI, SECTION 13 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11054, 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "ORGANIC LAW FOR THE BANGSAMORO 
AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MINDANAO", AS AMENDED
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Article XVI, Section 13 of Republic Act No. 11054, otherwise known as
2 
the "Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao", as
3 
amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:
4 
"SEC. 13. First Regular Election. - The first regular election for the
5 
Bangsamoro Government under this Organic Law shall be held [and
6 
synchronized with the 2025 national Glcctions] ON MAY 11, 2026.
7 
SUBSEQUENT ELECTIONS SHALL BE HELD EVERY THREE (3)
8 
YEARS THEREAFTER. The Commission on Elections, through the
9 
Bangsamoro Electoral Office, shall promulgate rules and regulations for
10 
the conduct of the elections, enforce and administer them pursuant to
11 
national law, this Organic Law and the Bangsamoro Electoral Code."
12 
Sec. 2. Upon effectivity of this Act, the President shall appoint the eighty (80)
13 
new interim members of the BTA who shall serve until their successors shall have been
14 
elected and qualified. The term of the present duly constituted Bangsamoro Transition
15 
Authority (BTA) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
16 
shall be deemed expired.


1 
Sec. 3. If any of the provisions of this Act is held unconstitutional, provisions not
2 
affected shall remain valid and binding.
3 
Sec. 4. All laws, decrees, and all other issuances or parts thereof, which are
4 
inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
5 
Sec. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete publication
6 
in the Official Gazette or in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,