The Commission on Elections (Comelec) does not see any violation in the removal of Mohagher Iqbal as minister of the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) months before the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections (BPE).
Comelec chairperson George Garcia said no election law has been violated as no prohibited acts were implemented at this time.
“We don’t have any ban at the moment. None yet. Those bans will still apply during the election period,” he said in a forum.
Iqbal was dismissed based on the decision of interim BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua, which took effect on May 18.
The election period for the BPE is set to begin on July 16 and will run until Sept. 29.
During the election period, it is prohibited to transfer or detail officers and employees in the civil service, as well as suspend an elective provincial, city, municipal, or barangay officer without the Commission’s approval.
The BPE is set on Sept. 14. (PNA)