Manila: The independent Third-Party Monitoring Team (TPMT) on Tuesday sought commitment to the Bangsamoro agreement ahead of scheduled elections in the southern Philippines' autonomous region later this year.

According to Anadolu Agency, the TPMT called on both Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to demonstrate continued commitment to the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) as the September elections and the end of the transition phase approach. The TPMT, established in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 2013, monitors the implementation of the agreement signed by Manila and the MILF to maintain peace in Bangsamoro, officially known as the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The southern Philippines region is home to approximately 5 million people, the majority of whom are Muslim. The TPMT emphasized the importance of mutual respect and trust as core values, noting that trust built over years is easily destroyed but difficult to rebuild. This statement was part of the TPMT's ninth public report on the Bangsamoro peace process.

The Philippine Supreme Court postponed the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro region for the third time last year. Originally scheduled for 2022, the election was postponed to May 11 of last year, then rescheduled for October, before being postponed again. The polls are now expected to be held in September of this year.

The TPMT report highlighted the need for meaningful self-governance based on decisions grounded in the BARMM. It also noted that the leadership change in March 2025 affected the balance of power in the Bangsamoro by unilaterally modifying the agreed transitional modalities upon which the peace agreement is based. Following Manila's decision last year, Abdulraof Macacua succeeded Bangsamoro Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim as the new chief executive.

The TPMT urged all stakeholders to uphold democratic principles and the sanctity of the electoral process ahead of the September elections. However, the team warned that the implementation of the normalization track has fallen behind the political track.