2025 Cotabato City local elections

Overview

Local elections were conducted in Cotabato City, located in the province of Maguindanao del Norte, on May 12, 2025. These polls were held concurrently with the 2025 Philippine general election, marking a significant administrative milestone for the city. The Commission on Elections oversaw the electoral process, ensuring that residents could cast their votes for all elective local posts within the municipal government structure.

The 2025 election holds particular historical and political weight as it represents the first time voters in Cotabato City participated in local governance under the newly redefined provincial boundaries. This electoral cycle occurred immediately following the legislative splitting of the original Maguindanao province into two distinct entities: Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. As a result, the political landscape for the city shifted to align with the new provincial administration of Maguindanao del Norte.

Voters in Cotabato City were tasked with selecting candidates for key executive and legislative roles. The ballot included positions for the city mayor, the vice mayor, and ten city councilors who would constitute the Cotabato City Council. In addition to these municipal offices, residents also cast votes for the at-large congressional district representative for Maguindanao del Norte, reflecting the city's integral role in the broader provincial political framework.

Stat	Detail
Election Date	May 12, 2025
Location	Cotabato City, Maguindanao del Norte
Governing Body	Commission on Elections
Positions Filled	Mayor, Vice Mayor, 10 City Councilors, At-Large Congressman
Political Context	First election after the split of Maguindanao province

Background and the 2022 Mayoral Controversy

The 2025 local elections in Cotabato City were preceded by significant administrative and political developments, most notably the controversy surrounding the 2022 mayoral race between Bruce Matabalao and Cynthia Guiani. This dispute became a focal point for electoral integrity in the city, involving allegations of vote buying that prompted a formal petition before the Commission on Elections (COMELEC). The legal battle extended well beyond the initial voting day, shaping the political landscape leading up to the 2025 polls.

At the heart of the controversy was a COMELEC petition that challenged the validity of votes cast in specific precincts during the 2022 election. The petitioners argued that irregularities, particularly vote buying, had skewed the results in favor of one of the candidates. The case required a detailed examination of voting patterns and witness testimonies across multiple barangays in Cotabato City. The Commission on Elections, as the governing body responsible for electoral oversight, conducted an extensive review to determine the extent of the anomalies.

On April 23, 2025, the Commission on Elections issued a decisive ruling that nullified the votes in 36 precincts affected by the controversy. This decision was a critical development in resolving the long-standing dispute between Matabalao and Guiani. The nullification meant that the votes from these specific areas were effectively erased from the final tally, potentially altering the outcome of the 2022 mayoral race. This ruling underscored the Commission on Elections' role in maintaining electoral transparency and accountability in local governance.

The aftermath of this decision had immediate implications for the political dynamics in Cotabato City. With the votes in 36 precincts nullified, the margin between the two candidates was recalculated, leading to a clearer determination of the winner. This resolution provided a degree of closure to the contentious 2022 election, allowing the city to move forward with the 2025 local elections. The incident served as a reminder of the importance of rigorous electoral processes and the impact of legal challenges on local political outcomes.

Electoral System and Voting Mechanics

Election Date and Context

The local elections for Cotabato City were conducted on May 12, 2025, as an integral component of the 2025 Philippine general election. This electoral cycle holds particular historical significance as it marks the first local election held in Cotabato City following the administrative division of the province of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. Consequently, the voters of Cotabato City participated in this inaugural voting process to determine local leadership under the new provincial configuration. The Commission on Elections served as the primary governing body overseeing the electoral mechanics and administration of the polls.

Executive and Legislative Posts

Voters in Cotabato City were tasked with electing officials for all available elective local posts within the city government. The executive branch positions included the mayor and the vice mayor. These positions are typically determined through a first-past-the-post system, where the candidate securing the highest number of votes for each respective office assumes the position. This mechanism ensures a direct mandate from the electorate for the city's chief executive and their immediate deputy.

The legislative branch representation was filled by electing ten city councilors to serve in the Cotabato City Council. The election for these council seats utilized a plurality block voting system. Under this method, voters could cast votes for up to ten candidates from the larger pool of contenders, which consisted of fourteen electable city councilor positions. The ten candidates who garnered the highest number of individual votes secured the seats on the council. This plurality block voting approach allows for a diverse representation within the council, reflecting the varied preferences of the city's electorate.

Congressional District Representation

In addition to local executive and legislative posts, the electorate in Cotabato City also voted for the representative of Maguindanao del Norte's at-large congressional district. As Cotabato City is geographically and administratively part of this congressional district, its voters' choices directly influenced the composition of the city's representation in the national legislature. This dual voting requirement ensured that citizens participated in both local governance and broader provincial political representation during the May 12, 2025, election day.

Vice Mayoral Election Candidates and Results

The vice mayoral race in Cotabato City featured three primary candidates: Johair Madag, Jayjay Guiani III, and Datu Bimbo Pasawiran. These elections took place on May 12, 2025, marking the first local vote following the division of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. Voters selected the vice mayor alongside the mayor and ten city councilors, with the results reflecting the shifting political landscape in the region.

Candidates and Results

The contest for the position of vice mayor included Johair Madag, Jayjay Guiani III, and Datu Bimbo Pasawiran. Each candidate campaigned for the support of the electorate in this pivotal election year. The Commission on Elections oversaw the voting process and the subsequent tallying of ballots to determine the winner.

Candidate	Party/Coalition	Vote Count	Status
Johair Madag	[?]	[?]	[?]
Jayjay Guiani III	[?]	[?]	[?]
Datu Bimbo Pasawiran	[?]	[?]	[?]

Specific vote counts and party affiliations for Johair Madag, Jayjay Guiani III, and Datu Bimbo Pasawiran were recorded by the Commission on Elections. The final results determined the vice mayor for the term beginning in 2025. This election was part of the broader 2025 Philippine general election, where voters in Cotabato City also cast ballots for the at-large congressional district of Maguindanao del Norte.

City Council Election Dynamics

The 2025 Cotabato City local elections featured a competitive race for the ten seats on the Cotabato City Council. Voters in the city elected all elective local posts, including the mayor, vice mayor, and city councilors, as part of the broader 2025 Philippine general election held on May 12, 2025. This election marked a significant political milestone for the city, being the first held after the administrative splitting of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. Consequently, the council race was influenced by the new provincial dynamics and the city's integration into the Maguindanao del Norte at-large congressional district.

Retiring Incumbents and Seat Turnover

Several incumbents faced the electorate in a changing political landscape. Notably, Abdillah Lim was among the retiring incumbents, creating a vacancy that attracted new candidates and shifting alliances within the city's political parties. The departure of established councilors like Lim opened opportunities for fresh faces and reshaped the balance of power in the legislative body. Other incumbents also chose to step down or run for higher offices, further altering the composition of the council. This turnover reflected the fluid nature of local politics in Cotabato City as it adjusted to its new status within Maguindanao del Norte.

Incumbents Running for Other Posts

In addition to retiring councilors, some incumbents opted to run for other elective posts, such as the mayoralty or vice mayoralty. These moves created additional vacancies on the council, intensifying the competition for the remaining seats. Candidates vying for these positions had to navigate the complexities of the post-split political environment, appealing to voters who were also casting ballots for the Maguindanao del Norte congressional representative. The interplay between local and congressional races added another layer of strategy for candidates seeking to secure their places in the new city government structure.

Why does the 2025 Cotabato City election matter?

The 2025 Cotabato City local elections hold substantial political and administrative significance as the first electoral exercise conducted after the formal division of Maguindanao into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur. This structural change, which redefined the provincial boundaries, directly impacted the electoral landscape for Cotabato City. As the city is part of Maguindanao del Norte's at-large congressional district, the May 12, 2025 vote served as a critical test of political alignment and voter sentiment in the newly configured province. The election was held concurrently with the 2025 Philippine general election, integrating local contests with national trends.

Electoral Structure and Posts

This dual focus on local governance and congressional representation highlighted the city's pivotal role in the broader political dynamics of the northern part of the former Maguindanao province.

Political Dominance of the UBJP

The election underscored the continued influence of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) in the region. As a dominant political force in Mindanao, the UBJP's performance in Cotabato City provided insights into its ability to maintain or expand its stronghold following the provincial split. The party's organizational strength and historical ties to the local electorate were key factors in the electoral outcomes. The results reflected the complex interplay between local party machines and the broader political realignments occurring in the Bangsamoro region. This election thus serves as a benchmark for understanding the shifting political geography of Maguindanao del Norte.