Comelec to disqualify BARMM party ahead of Sept. 14 polls

DAVAO CITY — Commission on Elections Chairman George Erwin Garcia said Tuesday that Comelec is set to cancel the registration of a political party in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ahead of the historic balloting on Sept. 14.

Garcia told reporters here that the cancellation of registration, if it becomes final, will disqualify the party from joining the Sept. 14 regional elections.

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Garcia stopped short of naming the regional political party, saying the decision has yet to come out, possibly on Wednesday. He added that even if the decision comes out, it will not yet be executory.

He explained that the poll body made it a point to promptly decide on a petition against the regional party and release its decision as soon as possible to give the affected entity time to avail itself of legal remedies.

Garcia said the political party’s name is already included in the ballots to be used in the Sept. 14 polls.

Nine major political parties are currently vying for seats in the 80-member regional parliament. /mcm