Cotabato City – In an address delivered at the joint Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) General Assembly and United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) Grand Miting de Avance on Wednesday, May 7, Mohagher Iqbal, UBJP Executive Vice President, declared that the Bangsamoro revolution continues, transitioning from armed struggle to electoral participation.

"Our struggle, our jihad, did not end with the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), or the establishment of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA)," Iqbal emphasized to the crowd of over 180,000 people who attended the gathering held in Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte. 

"It will not end until we achieve a just, inclusive, and prosperous government from the Bangsamoro, for the Bangsamoro," said Iqbal, who is also Member of the BTA Parliament.

Iqbal underscored the importance of the upcoming elections, stating, "This election is the new battleground. Our weapons are no longer guns, but ballots." 

He positioned the UBJP as the political manifestation of the MILF's long-fought struggle for self-determination, now being pursued through peaceful and democratic means. Besides, he strongly reminded the government to allow the Bangsamoro people to freely choose their leaders, stating that it is the core of the true autonomy provided by the BOL.

Iqbal, the Minister of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), stressed that the UBJP was founded not out of ambition, but out of a sense of responsibility to the Bangsamoro people. He called for unity and trust, urging voters to support the UBJP to ensure the continuity of the peace process and the implementation of the BOL.

"This election is crucial. If we fail to secure the trust of our people, the gains of peace may be lost. The implementation of the peace agreement, normalization, and the entire transition to genuine autonomy could be delayed, or worse, destroyed," Iqbal said.

He invoked the words of the late Sheikh Salamat Hashim, emphasizing that their struggle has always been for justice and dignity, a struggle now being waged through the ballot box.

"The world is watching," Iqbal declared. 

"We must prove that we can govern ourselves responsibly. This election is not just about winning positions; it is about building the foundation of a new Bangsamoro," he said.

Iqbal concluded by calling for unity across tribes, islands, and generations, urging supporters to "make this election a victory – not just to win seats, but to etch our rights into history."