Comelec set to release ‘Nota’ guidelines

MANILA, Philippines — The guidelines for the “none of the above” or NOTA option for the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections will be released about two weeks before the poll on Oct. 13, according to the Commission on Elections.

Comelec Chairman George Garcia said the poll body only needs to resolve the issue on whether NOTA can be considered a candidate and be included in the selection.

“Expect the Comelec to issue a ruling or position on how to treat the ‘none of the above’ option for purposes of counting the votes one or two days after the start of October,” Garcia said.

He added that the Comelec is waiting for the submission of position papers on the issue by all political parties in the Bangsamoro.

According to Garcia, the Bangsamoro parliament also plans to introduce amendments to the law.

“Let’s see if they can do that this September,” Garcia said, noting that the Comelec had complied with the provision of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, which required the inclusion of the NOTA option in official ballots.

Marcos Jr. cites LGU role

Meanwhile, President Marcos has emphasized the key role of local governments units (LGUs) and the normalization program in the Bangsamoro peace process.

In a pre-recorded video message shown during a summit led by the Bangsamoro interior and local government ministry on Thursday, Marcos stressed the importance of shared responsibility in implementing peace initiatives.

“This not only highlights the pivotal role of LGUs in peacebuilding but also fosters their ownership of normalization and its transformation projects. It also allows our programs to be more responsive to the situation on the ground,” Marcos said.

According to Marcos, local governments are the frontliners in implementing normalization projects, citing the initiatives being adopted in five provinces of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“This strengthens our belief that peace must be built from the ground up with local leaders as active architects,” the Chief Executive said.

Marcos added that normalization ensures human security, calling it “a testament to the partnership between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in ensuring that the gains of peace benefit all Filipinos.”

The normalization track and the political track are in line with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed by the government and the MILF in 2014.

The BARMM is an outcome of the landmark peace agreement.

Marcos reiterated his administration’s full support to the Bangsamoro government in its peacebuilding efforts in the region.

“We, in the national government, will continue to work with you in lockstep, fueled with a belief in our shared vision of a peaceful and prosperous Bangsamoro. We have come such a long way in this peace process. We are very, very close to success. Let us not falter now,” he said. –  Alexis Romero