Congress to decide on BARMM’s fate

PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte said it is now up to Congress whether to postpone or not the BARMM’s first regular elections which will be held simultaneously with the national and local polls next year.

President Rodrigo Duterte

This was confirmed by Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque, who said the President has decided to stay neutral on the issue. “The President decided to become neutral and will let Congress to fully discuss the matter and to decide accordingly, respecting the plenary powers and wisdom of Congress,” he said.

Duterte’s decision came following a recent meeting with BARMM officials and governors in the Palace. BARMM is made up of the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi in southern Philippines. And the provinces Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in Mindanao. 

Supreme Court

Sulu Governor Sakur Tan said the elections must push through, citing the law that created the BARMM or the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. This was also reported by GMA News which quoted Tan as saying that he would challenge before the High Court any legislation that would postpone the BARMM polls.

“If polls will be postponed, I will challenge it before the Supreme Court because I would prefer to have elections in order to strengthen the leadership of our BARMM officials,” Tan said, adding “it would be very awkward for the BARMM officials to be governing without any mandate.”

Roque said the Bangsamoro Transition Authority or BTA has yet to pass an election code that would serve as basis and guideline for voting parliamentary members in BARMM as provided under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.  

Senate

The Senate is yet to decide on the bill seeking to postpone the first regular elections in the BARMM from 2022 to 2025. 

Senator Francis Tolentino, sponsor of Senate Bill 2214, cited the Covid-19 pandemic as a major challenge in accomplishing the priority programs and projects of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. “Despite all these strides, the BTA has yet to complete all its tasks under the BOL. Thus, we are faced with the question of the propriety of extending the BTA term,” Tolentino said.

The proposed bill would extend the term of the 80-member BTA and the interim government led by former Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebel chairman Murad Ebrahim, who is now the BARMM Chief Minister.

Ebrahim and BTA members have been lobbying strongly with Duterte and Congress for an extension of their terms for another 3 years without elections. And BARMM even organized massive motorcades and tons of propaganda saying that Duterte is pushing for the postponement of the regional polls.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri told reporters that Duterte stood largely neutral on the postponement of the BARMM polls, weighing its pros and cons.

Zubiri said the BARMM officials explained that they have not been able to govern and take off due to the late appointment of the BTA members and the limitations brought about by the pandemic. 

Senator Panfilo Lacson earlier warned of the danger of citing the Covid-19 pandemic as a major reason in the need to postpone the first regular elections in BARMM, CNN Philippines reported.

Lacson said postponing the Bangsamoro elections would require a plebiscite. “We are treading on a very dangerous ground or precedent here because if the pandemic is the reason for the postponement of the BARMM election next year, it could open the floodgates to a no-el situation in the national and local elections next year,” he said.

He said Duterte has not certified as urgent the measure seeking to postpone the BARMM elections. “Why the rush when there is no certification as urgent 'yung measure and wala namang galaw sa House? What are we doing here?” Lacson asked during the plenary debates on Senate Bill 2214, adding, the Senate should probably take its time studying possible legal challenges.

Senator Imee Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on electoral reforms, said postponing elections in BARMM will also mean a delay in developing the restive region and correcting the historical injustice on its people. She said under the law, the BARMM elections are supposed to take place at the same time as national elections in May 2022.

Marcos said that full political legitimacy in BARMM can only be achieved after elections, saying, a balance must be struck between fulfilling the main purpose of the BOL and giving the BTA members enough time to cope with difficulties in governance wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic and thus effect a smooth turnover of authority to elected officials. 

BARMM Funds

She also filed Resolution No. 729 directing the Committee on Finance to conduct an inquiry into the accounting and liquidation of the Appropriations and Annual Block Grants allocated for the years 2020 and 2021 to the BARMM, including the annual Special Development Fund allocated for the rebuilding, rehabilitation, and development of conflict-affected communities.

Marcos said BARMM has been allocated a staggering amount of funds worth over P200 billion since last year, but there is “too little progress and change” in the region.

Marcos said under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 2020, the BARMM was allocated an annual appropriation of P7 billion and an Annual Block Grant of P63.6 billion, including a Special Development Fund of P5 billion. 

In addition to this, under the 2021 GAA, the region was also given an annual appropriation of P8.6 billion and an Annual Block Grant of P71.6 billion, and a Special Development Fund of P5 billion.  

“Prior to the establishment of the BARMM, the (previous and now defunct) Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was allocated an annual appropriation of P32.4 billion and Adjustments of P7.2 billion with total available appropriations of P39.7 billion,” Marcos said.  

“Thus, as compared to the ARMM appropriation of only P39.7 billion, the total BARMM allocation was higher, amounting to at least double the amount of the budget allocated to the ARMM. Despite these allocated appropriations, there is too little progress and change in the BARMM,” she added. 

Marcos said with the huge appropriations made in the GAA for 2020 and 2021, it is vital for Congress to determine the status of the projects implemented especially since the Bangsamoro Government is still in its transition stage. 

She said the Committee on Finance shall delve into the accounting and liquidation of the Appropriations and the Annual Block Grants allocated for the years 2020 and 2021 to BARMM, including the annual Special Development Fund. 

“It is also important for Congress to be informed on the progress of the transition process, implementation of programs and the proper utilization of funds, as well as the reasons for delay which are not attributable to the dire effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and to determine other legislative measures, if necessary, to be legislated by Congress in order to promote the long-term vision of meaningful growth in the Bangsamoro Region,” Marcos said.

 COMELEC

The Commission on Elections or COMELEC said it is not “jumping the gun” and still pushing through with the preparations for the BARMM polls.

“Sa BARMM elections, on-going ang pag-uusap tungkol sa postponement ng BARMM elections. I think there are some very critical matters being discussed particularly ‘yung availability ng Bangsamoro Electoral Code as well as the completion of the districting of the Bangsamoro. Since the issues have not been resolved, kami sa COMELEC, tuloy-tuloy ang paghahanda natin. We cannot jump the gun. So tuloy-tuloy lang po tayo,” COMELEC spokesperson James Jimenez said. (Mindanao Examiner, GMA News, CNN Philippines)

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