No photos of candidates in BARMM poll ballots

MANILA, Philippines — Ballots for the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will not bear photographs of poll candidates, according to the Commission on Elections.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said that of the more than 100 aspirants for BARMM parliamentary seats, only a few submitted their pictures despite repeated requests from the poll body.

“After the filing of certificates of candidacy from Nov. 4 to 9 last year, we requested three times for candidates to submit their pictures. Only 20 responded to our requests,” Garcia said yesterday.

Since a majority failed to submit, Garcia said the Comelec decided not to include pictures of candidates in the ballots, which will be printed starting August.

He said the ballots would carry the logos of seven political parties participating in the parliamentary elections as provided under the BARMM Election Code.

The BARMM parliamentary elections will be conducted in October in the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte and Tawi-Tawi as well as in Special Geographic Areas in Cotabato.