Comelec grants accreditation to MILF party for BARMM polls

MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has granted the accreditation of the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to participate in the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections after facing disqualification petitions. 

READ: Stir created as petition filed to block accreditation of MILF pol party

In a decision dated May 6, the Comelec denied the petitions separately filed by certain Sahabudin Panambulan Usop and Gasanara Dibaraten against the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP). 

“WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Commission (En Banc) RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES to GRANT the Verified Manifestation of Intent in Lieu of a Petition for Registration for UNITED BANGSAMORO JUSTICE PARTY (UBJP) as a Regional Political Party for purposes of participating in the 2026 BARMM PE [Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Parliamentary Elections],” the 17-page decision read.

The Comelec said that the UBJP filed its Manifestation in Lieu of a Petition for Registration (MLRP) last April 7, which the Comelec en banc found sufficient in form last April 8. However, the accreditation was stalled following the filing of a verified opposition by Usop last April 10.

The Comelec said that Usop alleged that UBJP and the MILF “are organizationally indistinguishable, sharing a common leadership, membership base, and organizational structures.” Usop further alleged that the UBJP violated the election gun ban and received foreign funding from the Turkish government. 

With this, the UBJP answered the opposition last April 23, stating that “while it shares numerous members with the MILF, they are two separate and distinct entities with completely different and independent organizational structures.” It also denied receiving foreign support, saying that Usop failed to provide documentation proving the actual contributions.

Meanwhile, Dibaraten filed a separate opposition last April 14, citing the same grounds for denying UBJP’s registration as those submitted by Usop. The UBJP then filed its answer to the opposition last April 29. 

The Comelec noted that UBJP was previously accredited as a regional political party last November 2024. However, the poll body had to scrap all registrations and restart its accreditation following the passage of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 88. 

“Notably, UBJP’s organizational presence and membership base across the BARMM were already established and verified by the Commission’s field offices during the proceedings that led to its registration in October 2024,” the Comelec said.

The Comelec also noted that Dibaraten’s opposition was filed out of time, as it was submitted four days after the last day for filing opposition. 

It also argued that UBJP is an organization “separate and distinct from the MILF,” adding that UBJP, being MILF’s political arm, “does not automatically translate into an armed character absent proof of direct operational linkage to actual armed activities.”

It added that while it takes note of the ongoing peace process between the MILF and the national government, it said that the suspension of the decommissioning process is not an abandonment of the peace process.

READ: Monitoring group: BARMM polls shall proceed on Sept. 14

“While the Commission stands on its grounds against the use of violence and other unlawful activities as a means of achieving political goals, it does not intend to prejudice entities that have demonstrated willingness to peacefully collaborate with the government and to comply with its rules and regulations,” it said.

Further, the poll body said that the liability for election offenses, being penal in nature, only applies to the individual offender. It added that any alleged gun ban violations committed by identified persons cannot be used to characterize UBJP “as an organization supportive of violence as a means of achieving its goals.”

It also ruled that there is lack of proof that UBJP received funding from the Turkish government through an alleged local conduit. It noted that the oppositors’ allegations were not supported by corroborative documents. 

The decision came in the middle of the filing of certificates of candidacy for the parliamentary elections, which is scheduled from May 5-7, 2026. /dp /das