COTABATO CITY – Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen Sarmiento has urged all stakeholders, leaders, and communities in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to remain calm, focused, and united ahead of the historic Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
The first parliamentary elections in BARMM are set to take place on September 14.
“Democracy is inherently dynamic and vibrant; as such, political parties are expected to present their platforms to the electorate, empowering voters to choose what is truly best for the Bangsamoro region,” Sarmiento said in a statement.
READ: Comelec ready for BARMM polls, BSKE, says Garcia
The 2,395,126 registered voters, as of March 2026, per data of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), are to select parliamentary district representatives, regional political parties, and sectoral representatives.
Previous elections in BARMM were marred by violence, including the May 2025 local elections, where more than 700 violent election-related incidents were recorded by independent watchdog group Climate Conflict Action Asia (CCAA). It reported that the conflict resulted in 240 deaths and 265 injuries.
Sarmiento said his appeal is for the contending parties in parliament to uphold the rule of law and stability. He said if there are contentious issues that need to be resolved, legal processes are available to address the current situation.
“I urge the parties to avail themselves of these formal channels to ensure that the hard-earned peace currently being enjoyed in the area is strictly maintained and protected,” said Sarmiento, who heads the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru).
He stressed that collective focus should remain on achieving a progressive and economically developed BARMM, with development determined by its people – the very reason autonomy was granted – together with a block grant that is automatically appropriated and released.
Saying the September 14 balloting is not just a crucial component of the Bangsamoro peace process, Sarmiento said it will complete the political track under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), as prescribed in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
READ: Gov’t troops sent to Maguindanao ‘hot spots’ ahead of BARMM polls
“This democratic milestone should remain the primary focus of the people of BARMM as an important and historic step toward genuine and meaningful autonomy,” he said, asking the electorate to actively participate in the elections and to “vote wisely.”
“The officials elected to the Parliament will exercise both legislative and executive powers, placing upon them the profound responsibility to help plant the seeds for a brighter, more prosperous future for the entire region,” Sarmiento said, urging stakeholders to help ensure a peaceful, honest, and credible election “where all citizens are entirely free to choose their leaders.”/coa
The post Peace adviser to BARMM: Stay calm, united ahead of September polls appeared first on Inquirer.net.
