The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is moving forward with its first parliamentary elections amid the recent Supreme Court ruling that upheld the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) but excluded Sulu from the region.
The Supreme Court’s decision reaffirms the legal foundation of BARMM’s autonomous government and parliamentary system, including the election of the Chief Minister. However, the court ruled that Sulu, which voted against joining BARMM in a 2019 plebiscite, should be excluded from the region.
“We are grateful for the Supreme Court’s affirmation of BARMM’s autonomous government and its parliamentary structure,” BARMM Cabinet Secretary and spokesperson Mohammad Asnin Pendatun said during a news forum in Quezon City.
“But we are deeply saddened and concerned by the ruling that excludes Sulu from BARMM,” he added.
BARMM will hold its first parliamentary elections in May 2025, but Sulu will not participate, as the Supreme Court ruled.
The plebiscite saw 54 percent of Sulu residents vote against joining the region, despite overwhelming support from the broader Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). After five years of deliberation, the court sided with Sulu’s local results.
“This ruling has significant implications for BARMM,” Pendatun said. However, he added that BARMM plans to file a motion for leave to intervene and a motion for partial reconsideration regarding SC’s recent ruling.
“We will file a motion for leave to intervene with a motion for partial reconsideration… So we have until Oct. 1 to find or to make use of that legal remedy,” Pendatun said.
The BARMM meanwhile has attracted P4 billion in investments this year, reflecting a significant improvement in the region’s peace and order situation, a BARMM official announced on Saturday.
Pendatun attributed the increase in investments to the region’s enhanced peace and security environment. He emphasized a notable investment aimed at establishing an upscale resort in Tawi-Tawi, which is expected to enhance tourism in the province.
Pendatun also highlighted BARMM’s substantial progress in reducing poverty, noting that the poverty rate in the region has decreased from 52.3% in 2018 to 23.2%, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“This is a historic achievement for BARMM. For the first time, we are no longer the poorest region in the country. However, the 23.2% poverty rate still highlights the challenges we need to address moving forward,” he added.
While the peace process has effectively addressed vertical conflicts involving revolutionary groups and security forces, Pendatun acknowledged that horizontal conflicts, such as clan wars (rido) and other criminal activities, still pose challenges.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Sulu exclusion from BARMM raises concerns ahead of landmark elections.”
