Comelec affirms cancellation of MILF bet's COC in Maguindanao del Sur

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The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Sunday denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Anwar Salipada Alamada over the cancellation of his certificate of candidacy (COC), a day before the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Alamada is running for representative of the fifth parliamentary district of Maguindanao del Sur under the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The Comelec canceled Alamada’s COC in July after granting a petition filed by Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali, a rival candidate running under the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP).

Pendatun accused Alamada of not being a resident of the district where he intended to run.

The Comelec said it issued a Certificate of Finality and Entry of Judgment on September 7 after no temporary restraining order or injunctive writ was issued.

The Certificate of Finality stated that the Comelec’s August 27 resolution denying Alamada’s motion for reconsideration was “hereby declared immediately executory.”

The Writ of Execution directed the electoral boards within the fifth parliamentary district of Maguindanao del Sur to “consider as stray all votes cast in favor of” Alamada.

The Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBOC) of Maguindanao del Sur was also directed to exclude votes cast in favor of Alamada, refrain from proclaiming him and instead proclaim the qualified candidate.

Meanwhile, the Comelec Law Department was tasked with conducting a preliminary investigation into Alamada’s case.

BARMM will hold its first parliamentary election on Monday, September 14, with voters choosing representatives to fill the 80 seats in the Bangsamoro Parliament.

As part of the region’s peace process, the Bangsamoro election marks a major step in the transition from the interim government led by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to an elected regional administration.

In the Bangsamoro region, legislative power is vested in the Bangsamoro Parliament, while executive power is exercised by the Chief Minister.

Judicial power is exercised by the Supreme Court, as well as by the Shari’ah and regular courts within the Bangsamoro’s territorial jurisdiction that form part of the Philippine judicial system.