Bangsamoro Parliament okays BARMM electoral code

BARMM Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim. FILE PHOTO

GENERAL SANTOS CITY — The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), acting as the Bangsamoro Parliament, enacted on Wednesday the landmark Bangsamoro Electoral Code (BEC or Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 35), the fourth of the six priority codes passed by the transition government since the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) was established in January 2019.

After 12 hours of plenary deliberations, presiding chair Deputy Speaker Omar Yasser Sema banged the gavel at 11:58 p.m. to officially announce the passage of BTA Bill No. 29, which the Government of the Day—or the majority party represented by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)—promised to approve in the first quarter of 2023.

Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, concurrent MILF chair, earlier promised to President Marcos that the parliament would pass the BEC early this year.

The measure was approved with 64 affirmative votes, and without a negative vote and abstention.Certified as urgent by Ebrahim, the bill was approved on second and final reading on the same day by the parliament. He and BTA Speaker Pangalian Balindong led the ceremonial signing of the electoral code.

Commitment

In a report from the BTA’s media bureau, Ebrahim said that the Members of Parliament made a commitment to establish a government deserving of the name “Bangsamoro” when they took the oath of moral governance at the beginning of the transition period.

He said they also made a commitment to enact an electoral code “that would help pave the way for more democratic elections in the region, in which genuinely moral political parties would be able to participate.”

“The Bangsamoro electoral code’s adoption today is a major step toward realizing such a promise,” Ebrahim said.

“It is an opportune time for us to set a new stage for our future leaders to lead our people by exemplifying honesty, equality and empowering the true voice of democracy,” Balindong said.

READ: Proposals on the Bangsamoro Electoral Code

The Bangsamoro Parliament retained the controversial provision requiring a regional political party to have 10,000 members as a requirement for accreditation.

To date, the Bangsamoro Parliament has passed the administrative, civil service, education and electoral codes. The other priority measures are the local governance and revenue codes.

Consultations

For the draft electoral code, the parliament conducted 12 public consultations in Metro Manila, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Cotabato City and the BARMM Special Geographic Area.In accordance with the BOL and the approved electoral code, a Bangsamoro Electoral Office (BEO) will be established by, and under the direct control and supervision of, the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The BEO will supervise all national, regional and local elections, plebiscites, initiatives, referendums and recall proceedings in the Bangsamoro region to ensure compliance with election laws and other Comelec rules.

READ: Governors question some provisions in draft Bangsamoro Election Code

Under the electoral code, the Parliament must be composed of 80 members—50 percent of them party representatives, 40 percent district representatives and 10 percent sectoral representatives.

Election watchdog Legal Network for Truthful Elections (Lente) on Thursday congratulated the BTA for enacting the BEC.

Since 2020, Lente has been assisting and participating in the development of the BEC by conducting consultations and focused group discussions with government agencies, election law experts, civil society organizations and the BTA Parliament. The group had provided policy recommendations and significant technical work to the BEC up to its passage.

—WITH REPORTS FROM BONG S. SARMIENTO, EDWIN O. FERNANDEZ, SHEILA MAE DELA CRUZ AND RYAN D. ROSAURO

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