A lawmaker from Mindanao on Monday filed a bill postponing the first Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao elections from 2022 to 2025.
Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu of Maguindanao, head of the House’s Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity, filed House Bill 8117 which, in effect, would extend the term of the BTA members for three years. The postponement of the elections was intended to give more time for the full transition to the BARMM, he said.
The BTA is serving as the interim government of the BARMM.
“This humble representation sincerely agrees with President [Rodrigo] Duterte, Secretary [Carlito] Galvez and the BARMM that the BTA needs a term extension. It is very unlikely that they can put everything in place in a very short span of three years,” Mangudadatu said.
He said Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano of the Abang-Lingkod party-list group and several other legislators had signified their intention to co-author the bill.
“I am personally calling out our dear colleagues to join us and support the enactment of this proposed legislation,” Mangudadatu said.
“The achievement of the aspirations of peace, unity, genuine autonomy and development in the BARMM region is also the achievement of the whole nation.”
The ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2019 paved the way for the creation of the BARMM, replacing the old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The BARMM includes Cotabato City, 63 villages in the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan and Pikit in North Cotabato. It has expanded land and water jurisdiction and fiscal autonomy and a higher share in national government resources, among other things
Speaker Loren Legarda and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez have also filed House Bills 8116 and 8161, respectively, that call for the postponement of the BARMM elections to 2025.
