Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 28) — Should the scheduled 2022 elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao be put off, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan said he will challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.
“Tinututulan natin ‘yan dahil…ang batas ay nagsasabi [We oppose the deferment because the law says] that the term of the BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) will only be three years. And that three years will end in 2022,” Tan said in a Malacañang briefing on Monday.
The governor clarified he will still support a Moro Islamic Liberation Front-led government but he firmly believes holding the polls next year will allow Bangsamoro officials a stronger and steadier rule over the region.
“Ang gusto lang natin ngayon ay magkaroon ng mandato ang ating mga opisyal [What we want now is for our officials to have a mandate],” he said.
“Dahil sinasabi natin doon kay Presidente na [Because as what we’re telling the President] it’ll be very awkward for BARMM officials to be governing without any mandate,” he continued.
The BTA is the MILF-led interim government of the region and is the political entity which replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2019 through the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
The first regional elections are supposed to be held in May 2022, in line with the national and local polls, but the BTA is seeking an extension of its term for three more years, or until 2025.
According to BTA interim chief minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, three years is a “very short” time to put in place the normalization and peacekeeping process.
He also said there had been a delay in receiving the BARMM budget and that by the time they acquired the funds in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult for them to finish all essential transition work.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, meanwhile, said President Rodrigo Duterte stands “neutral” on the matter and is still leaving the decision on the regional polls up to Congress.
READ: Duterte maintains extension of Bangsamoro transition up to Congress — Palace
