Several civil society groups from Mindanao filed a petition before the Supreme Court on Monday questioning the constitutionality of the newly enacted Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 77 (BAA 77), which reorganizes parliamentary districts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The petitioners sought a temporary restraining order (TRO) to halt its implementation, arguing that the measure was passed without proper consultation, violated the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), and disrupted preparations for the October 13 parliamentary elections.

The Bangsamoro Parliament approved the Bangsamoro Redistricting Act on August 19, reconstituting 32 single-member districts. The measure redistributed seven seats previously allocated to Sulu, following a Supreme Court ruling excluding it from BARMM. Under the new law, Lanao del Sur will have nine districts; Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, five each; Basilan and Tawi-Tawi, four each; Cotabato City, three; and the Special Geographic Area in Cotabato province, two.

“Printing of ballots was already postponed and revised. This constant back-and-forth jeopardizes the October 13 elections,” said Abu Mujai Maulana, a civil society leader from Marawi City. The filing highlights a growing rift between BARMM leaders and the Commission on Elections (Comelec). BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua has urged Comelec to enforce the law, while Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia said it came too late to apply for the upcoming polls. As a result, Comelec said it would proceed with 73 parliamentary seats instead of 80.