Bills postponing Bangsamoro parliamentary polls draw mixed responses from regional parties
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 08 November) – The bills filed in Congress postponing the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections have drawn various reactions from two regional parties that have signified their intent to join the political exercise scheduled in May next year.
Senate President Chiz Escudero filed Senate Bill 2862 on Monday postponing the elections to 2026 to allow officials time to address the structural adjustments needed after the Supreme Court ruled that Sulu is not part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The following day, in the House of Representatives, Speaker and Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez filed House Bill 11034 deferring the BARMM elections to May 11, 2026.
Member of Parliament Mustapha Loong, a Tausug and the first nominee of Progresibong Bangsamoro Party (PBP), said it is crucial to proceed with the parliamentary elections next year.
Loong said they believe that the political party system in BARMM should be strengthened to empower citizens to demand a responsive governance.
PBP on Thursday filed its Manifestation of Intent to Participate to vie for seats in the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament despite the Supreme Court’s decision removing the province from the autonomous region.
“When Sulu was removed, we had around 4,000 members there, but we still have over 30,000 members,” Loong said.
He said their party feels more challenged to fight for the Bangsamoro people, adding they should not be divided, alluding to the exclusion of Sulu from BARMM.
He said they are still hoping that the Supreme Court will heed the appeal of many Bangsamoro people and reverse its decision.
“It’s not right that you were with us in planting, in dying, in enduring hardships while planting the seeds of self-determination, and now that the fruits are ripe, you’re just going to disappear when it’s time to harvest,” he said.
“So we believe all the more in the responsibility of the party to advocate for that – justice for all the Bangsamoro,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro Party (BaPa), which filed its Manifestation of Intent to Participate before noon Friday, expressed support to the bills resetting the BARMM elections.
Bapa, which is affiliated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said the postponement will address not only Sulu’s exclusion but also what it considers the provisions of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement and the 1996 Final Peace Agreement that have not been implemented.
“Sulu is an integral part of the Bangsamoro struggle,” Muslimin Sema, chair of the MNLF Council of 15, said.
Sema highlighted the decades-long fight and sacrifices made by the people of Sulu for self-determination. “We cannot move on without Sulu.”
“The exclusion of Sulu has created a political vacuum and raised concerns about representation and inclusivity in the BARMM’s governance,” he added.
“We are technically no longer part of the BARMM by virtue of the decision, so we cannot file our candidacies,” BaPa secretary general Adzfar Usman said
“We are no longer registered voters of the BARMM,” Usman, also a Member of Parliament, said. But he said the party “will not abandon Sulu.”
“I remain vigilant, and of course, we pray that Sulu will be returned back to the BARMM,” he said.
Seven of the 32 parliamentary district seats up for grabs were allotted for Sulu. But the Supreme Court decision has left the question of what to do with these seats in the event that the ruling is not reversed and the elections push through hanging. (Ferdinand Cabrera/MindaNews)
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