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25September
Interim BAMM Chief Minister Ahod B. Ebrahim and MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal during the holding of MILF General Assembly at Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao Del Norte on September 23, 2024
Bangsamoro Government rejects calls to extend term, yes 2025 elections
- Sep 25, 2024
- Taher G. Solaiman
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BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag "Murad" Ebrahim, who also heads the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), made this clear on Monday, September 23rd, following a consultative meeting and general assembly for MILF members in Sultan Kudarat.
The decision to maintain the 2025 election timeline comes amidst calls for a postponement to address the redistribution of parliamentary seats following Sulu's exclusion. Parliament member Michael Midtimbang had filed a resolution urging the House and Senate to reschedule the election, arguing that the current Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 58 does not adequately account for the reallocation of seven seats previously allocated to Sulu.
The Supreme Court, while upholding the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, ruled in September that Sulu should be excluded from the BARMM due to the province's majority vote against its inclusion in the 2019 plebiscite.
Despite the complications, the BARMM government remains committed to holding the first parliamentary elections in 2025, with 80 new members to be elected – 40 party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives.
Murad, widely considered the MILF's top choice to lead the BARMM, expressed confidence in the group's ability to secure a majority in the upcoming elections.
"What we are securing now is to make sure we protect our votes to be counted," he said.
The BARMM government is also facing speculation regarding the potential candidacy of Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof "Sammy Gambar" Macacua for Chief Minister. However, both Murad and Macacua have downplayed the issue, assuring the public of their unity.
The upcoming elections will be a crucial moment for the BARMM as it navigates the challenges of implementing its autonomy and addressing the implications of the Supreme Court decision.
Time in Cotabato
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