Governors divided over BARMM poll postponement

Governors of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao expressed opposing views about the Senate bill that seeks to postpone the first BARMM parliamentary elections in 2025.

- By MARC JAYSON CAYABYAB

Senate President Francis Escudero filed the bill resetting the 2025 BARMM elections to May 2026, ostensibly because of the Supreme Court decision that excluded Sulu from BARMM.

Escudero said the polls should be postponed to give more time to reallocate Sulu's nine seats in parliament to the other BARMM provinces.

During the Senate local government committee public hearing yesterday, Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Mariam Mangudadatu opposed the postponement, saying it would only benefit the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that leads the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) and give the former rebel group more time to campaign and get elected.

"It seems that we are denying the Bangsamoro people the right to choose their own leaders. They will allow the same people to serve for seven years without any election or mandate from the people," Mangudadatu said.