13 Bangsamoro Political Parties Sign Covenant for Peaceful Elections and Full CAB Implementation

On 27 August 2026, representatives of all 13 regional political parties participating in the first regular Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections came together in Cotabato City for a historic election debate organized by the Institute for Autonomy and Governance (IAG) , Notre Dame University , and the Independent Election Monitoring Center (IEMC). The debate brought the parties together to discuss their visions and positions on economy and human development, peace and security, and good governance.

Alongside this important democratic exercise, the 13 political parties signed the Covenant of Commitment Toward Peaceful Elections and the Full Implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), organized by Duyog Bangsamoro.

As one of the conveners and secretariat of Duyog Bangsamoro, Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) sees the covenant as an important commitment at a critical moment in the Bangsamoro’s political transition.

Through the covenant, the parties committed to uphold free, fair, honest, orderly, peaceful, and credible elections, and to reject violence, intimidation, coercion, harassment, vote-buying, and other acts that may undermine the integrity of the electoral process. They also affirmed their commitment to the full and faithful implementation of the CAB and the remaining commitments of the peace process.

Political competition is an essential part of democracy. But it should not come at the expense of peace.

We trust that all 13 political parties will honor the commitments they have made and uphold the spirit of this covenant throughout the campaign, on election day, and after the results are declared. We hope that this commitment will extend not only to the candidates and party leadership, but also to their supporters and networks on the ground.

The first regular Bangsamoro Parliamentary Elections represent a significant milestone in the region’s political transition. Ensuring that this milestone is reached peacefully is a shared responsibility—and one that must extend beyond political parties to government, civil society, communities, and the Bangsamoro people themselves.

For Duyog Bangsamoro and IID, this is part of the broader work of accompanying the peace process beyond the signing of agreements and into the difficult but necessary work of implementation, transition, and sustaining peace.

Thirteen parties. One covenant. A shared responsibility for peaceful elections and the continued pursuit of peace in the Bangsamoro.