Ex-Comelec chair wins Cotabato City 1st District seat in BARMM Parliament

MANILA, Philippines – Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Sheriff Abas topped the race for Cotabato City’s 1st District seat in the Bangsamoro Parliament, after the first-ever Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14. He obtained 12,334 or 57.75 % of the votes, securing one seat for his political party, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), according to Cotabato City’s certificates of canvass from the Commission on Elections’ website. Abas is the nephew of UBJP second nominee Mohagher Iqbal, former BARMM education minister and the MILF’s longest-serving peace negotiator. Prior to being Comelec chairman from 2017 to 2022, he was Comelec commissioner starting in 2015. Abas is the first Mindanaoan and first Muslim to serve as the commission’s chairman. Abas’ win in the BARMM polls comes two days after he was issued a show-cause order over his alleged involvement in a vote-buying incident. He has since denied the allegation, calling it “fake news.” He defeated two other candidates to capture one of the three districts of Cotabato City, BARMM’s capital and seat of government. After placing second in the polls, Romeo Kabuntalan Sema has failed to keep his parliament seat as part of the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority — a position he has held since 2019. He got 8,676 or 40.63 % of the votes. Sema is also the vice chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front’s (MNLF) central committee for political affairs and former BARMM labor minister. He is related to MNLF chairman and incumbent labor minister Muslimin Sema, who also heads the Bangsamoro Party. This is despite Romeo running under the Mahardika Party, led by the opposing faction of MNLF founder Nur Misuari. Placing third is former seaman Danilo Ramos Liggayo, who was the bet of the Bangsamoro Empowerment and Social Transformation Party. He got 346 or 1.62 % of the votes. Liggayo served under the Office of the President for Mindanao while Fidel Ramos was Philippine president. Like other newly elected parliament members, Abas will serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026, to June 30, 2031. He will be one of the 32 district representatives making up 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament. – Rappler.com