The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced on January 28 that the scheduled BARMM Parliamentary Elections on March 30, 2026, will be deferred until a new date is legally set.

In COMELEC Minute Resolution No. 26-0071, the Commission cited impractical election timelines and various legal constraints that make holding the elections on the original date unfeasible. These include the effectivity of the Parliament Bill No. 415 under Republic Act No. 8189, which restricts precinct alterations during the election period, and the inability to conduct assemblies and conventions for sectoral representatives without an official election date, as clarified by the Supreme Court (SC) in prior cases.

The resolution also terminated all related activities previously outlined under COMELEC Resolutions Nos. 11181 and 11184, including the election calendar, periods of prohibited acts, and schedules for assemblies and conventions.

COMELEC emphasized that all preliminary election preparations for BARMM will now be paused until a new schedule is formally established by law, ensuring compliance with legal and procedural requirements.

The Commission noted that a new date for the BARMM Parliamentary Elections will be announced once legal conditions allow for a feasible and orderly conduct of the polls.