Manila (January 8, 2025)- Supporters and critics of the postponement of the polls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), as well as neutral analysts, are in agreement.
Malacañang and the senators should make up their minds already.
“I hope the Senate will see the urgency of this bill. They have to decide already on the resetting so that we can remove the impasse,” Presidential peace adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. told the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) in an interview on Jan. 7.
The House of Representatives passed a measure 1) to reset the elections to May next year and 2) to change the makeup of the transitional government before the May 2025 elections.
The Senate had one committee hearing to deliberate the proposal last year. Congress will resume sessions next week, Jan. 13, after a holiday break.
Galvez had pushed for the postponement of the regional polls. “If you will take my opinion, I will really work for the resetting because there are compelling reasons,” Galvez said.
“There are events that we need to reconsider… because this BARMM election is our first BARMM election. It should be peaceful,” he said, emphasizing the importance of protecting the BARMM as an “international model” for peace processes.
Disrupted preparations
Benedicto Bacani, executive director of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, said the impasse has disrupted election preparations and voter information drive.
“Palace has to make up its mind soonest. This measure was initiated by Malacanang. Will it still push it?” Bacani said.
“Our leaders have to settle this issue once and for all hopefully by next week. Otherwise, the peaceful democratic process of choosing leaders in the BARMM as envisioned in peace agreements and the BOL will be in great peril,” Bacani said.
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