BARMM governors launch own Caucus

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The five provincial governors of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region have launched a caucus in an effort to address issues and concerns facing the restive region in southern Philippines.

The governors - Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur; Jim Hataman Salliman of Basilan; Sakur Tan of Sulu; Mariam Mangudadatu of Maguindanao Del Sur; and Yshmael Sali of Tawi-Tawi - who are behind the Bangsamoro Governors’ Caucus, read the manifesto.

The event, held in Cagayan de Oro City, was also streamed live on social media accounts of the provincial governments of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

The caucus, the governors said, is a platform that will advocate and promote the issues their constituents have identified as critical and important. They said the caucus is committed to support the peace process and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region and will engage in dialogue towards greater cooperation and collaboration with the national and regional government and multisectoral groups.

Their positions and recommendations will be based on data and evidence to promote the rights and welfare of the constituents. In their consultations with constituents, the following issues were identified as critical and needing immediate action – the rule of law, peace and order, inclusive governance and development.

The caucus believes that sustainable peace and development can only be achieved under a strong regime of rule of law, adding it will engage with the national government and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and other stakeholders in strengthening rule of law and democratic institutions in the region, according to the governor of Sulu.

“We will strongly advocate for and make sure that regional policies and laws are consistent with the Constitution, the Bangsamoro Organic Law and other national laws, when called for, we will, support legal challenges in courts against regional laws and policies that violate the Constitution, the BOL (Bangsamoro Organic Law) and other national laws,” Tan said.

Adiong, whose province hosted the event, also read part of the manifesto, saying “maintaining peace and order is the joint responsibility of the national and regional governments, LGUs (local government units) and law enforcement agencies. The caucus notes that the security challenges in the BARMM are not sufficiently addressed because of the unclear and overlapping mandates of law enforcement agencies and the peace mechanism.”

The Lanao del Sur governor said the caucus will reach out to the national and regional governments and the peace mechanisms towards improving coordination and interoperability in law enforcement in the BARMM communities. “We will monitor and call out relevant national and regional agencies, local and international decommissioning bodies and the peace mechanism to visit and to find ways to fast track, the implementation of the declamation in process,” Adiong said, referring to the provisions of the 2014 peace deal between Manila and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front whose leader, Ahod Ebrahim, now sits as Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro autonomous region.

Ebrahim was not invited to the conference.

The governor of Maguindanao del Sur said in order to address feelings of marginalization by citizens, which trigger rebellion and violent extremism, governance and development in the region must be inclusive. She said public funds must benefit the greatest number of constituents. “The caucus will promote equitable share representation and participation in budget policies and programs across geographic, political and ethnic groups in the region,” Mangudadatu said.

Mangudadatu said public institutions must reflect the diversity of citizens, adding the parliamentary system offers an opportunity for greater participation and representation of groups which are historically marginalized in governance. “In elections, the Parliament gains political legitimacy and will be accountable to citizens. The caucus strongly advocates for the conduct of the May 2025 regional and parliamentary elections and electoral policies that will promote, not inhibit, greater participation and representation in development and governance of the greatest number of citizens and groups,” she said.

“The caucus is appealing to the BARMM government to immediately convene the Council of Elders for greater participation, and representation of local government units and sectoral groups, in governance,” she added.

The governor of Tawi-Tawi, who was last to read the manifesto, said: “To the stakeholders who share our advocacies. The caucus looks forward to working and collaborating with you, towards our common goals. To those who seek to understand the position of the caucus, we invite you to dialogue with us towards finding a common ground. In the end. We are all working for the same goal - sustainable peace and development in the region.”

In February, the four governors also issued a collective manifesto following the ambush of Adiong’s convoy in Lanao del Sur that killed three of his security men and a civilian aide. Adiong was also wounded in the attack.

The manifesto called for the immediate shut down of all MILF forces due to violence in areas where former rebels are actively operating, especially in Maguindanao, Cotabato City and North Cotabato, and for the government to postpone the Barangay and Sanguniang Kabataan elections set in October until the decommissioning process are completed as part of the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. (Mindanao Examiner)