With Sulu excluded from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) is examining at making the province a part of Zamboanga Peninsula.

In an interview, Comelec chairman George Garcia said the Commission en banc is ''leaning towards making Sulu'' a part of Region IX for its preparations for the May 2025 national, local, and Bangsamoro parliamentary polls.

"The Commission en banc is leaning towards making Sulu part of Region IX," said Garcia.

"It would be absurd if we still include Sulu in the Bangsamoro after the Supreme Court said it is not part of BARMM," he added.

He said the prevailing sentiment is due to Sulu originally part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region.

"The consensus is to make Sulu part of Region IX since it is the province's original region," said the poll chief.

He said this has to be resolved.

Last Monday, the Supreme Court said the Bangsamoro Organic Law is valid but declared Sulu as not a part of the BARMM since the province rejected the law’s ratification. DMS