MANILA, Philippines — Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim hopes that measures seeking to extend the transition period in the region will be submitted for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval by May this year.
During the online forum of the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP), Ebrahim stressed that the call for the extension of the transition period is not about political power.
The three-year transition for the region began in 2019 and will end in 2022.
“We see the challenges but the call for extension is actually not about political power, but really because we see that we need this extension in order to complete the implementation of the agreement,” Ebrahim said.
“In May, we hope that it will be submitted to the President. This timeline is very shortened,” he added.
Several bills are currently pending in the Senate and the House of Representatives regarding the proposed extension of the transition period in the Bangsamoro region.
Ebrahim also expressed hopes that Duterte will certify the bill as urgent.
BARM, an expanded autonomous region created upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2019, is the outcome of the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after years of negotiations.