Several personalities filed their certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 Bangsamoro parliamentary polls on the third day of the filing on Wednesday, November 6, 2024, including a former chairman of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC).

Former COMELEC Chairman, Atty. Sheriff Abas, filed his COC for a parliament seat for the First District of Cotabato City.

Among the things he wants to give attention to include education, infrastructure, and employment in Cotabato City.

“Yung platform of government ko concentrated siguro sa education… just in case padadamihin ko ang ating scholarship, pangawala sa Infra, kung makita nyo sa first district maraming lubak lubak na kalsada dito hopefully popondohan ko ang mga maliliit na kalsada na yun and siyempre job opportunity sa mga kababayan natin,” Abas said.

Former Cotabato City councilor Madatu Datumanong also filed his COC for district representative in the second district of Cotabato City.

“Pag andyan po tayo sana madami po tayo magawa tulungan natin ang Bangsamoro people, kapag may investors na pupunta dito sa atin maraming trabaho yan po ang gagawin natin,” Datumanong said.

Dulia Sultan, former ABC President and incumbent barangay chairperson of Nunguan, Pikit, North Cotabato, also filed a COC for district representative in the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM).

“Usually ang number 1 talaga problema ng aming barangay hindi po nakakarating talaga kung saan dapat iparating wala po talagang nagtutulay sa amin so nagkaisa kame na liga ng mga barangay ma magkaroon ng representante,” Sultan said.

COMELEC-BARMM urged other aspirants nominated by a party to file the certificate of nomination and appointment (CONA) along with the COC if they want the name of the party to be reflected in the official ballot.

“Wag na lang natin pangalanan pero during the October 1-8 filing for the national and local election meron nagfile dito sabi niya to follow yung CONA sabi ko no, kung mag-insist kayo na may CONA kayo wag niyo na I file so nangyari pinayl pa rin so independent siya,” Maguindanao del Norte Provincial Election Supervisor, Atty. Mohammad Mutia, said.

Based on a COMELEC resolution, the COC and CONA should be both filed at the same time if the aspirant belongs to a party.

“Now if you will insist na magkaroon ka ng party na magreflect sa record ng COMELEC sa official balot na i print ng COMELEC you submit another COC with a CONA and of course you have to cancel the previously filed COC na walang CONA pumasok ngayon yung COC with CONA but kailangang gawin yon hanggang November 9 lang,” Mutia added.