BARMM Grand Coalition endorses Sulu governor Sakur Tan as chief minister

File photo of BARMM logo

MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of major political parties in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has endorsed Sulu governor Sakur Tan for his run as chief minister in the first ever Bangsamoro Parliament elections next year.

In a statement on Saturday group BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC), composed of the Salaam Party of Gov. Tan himself, the Bangsamoro People Party (BPP), the Al Ittihad-UKB Party, and the Serbisyong Inklusibo Alyansang Progresibo Party, agreed to support Tan in his bid for the top position in BARMM.

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“The coalition has come to a consensus that it will be backing Gov. Sakur Tan for the position of Chief Minister in the Bangsamoro Parliament because the BGC believes he is more than qualified to hold the post,” said Basilan Cong. Mujiv Hataman as he announced their support for Tan during the General Assembly of Salaam Party-BGC in Maimbung, Sulu.

Hataman, who is also one of the founders of BPP, said that their decision was made after a series of meetings and consultations with officials and members of all the political parties, as well as non-government organizations and civil society groups that consist of the whole BGC.

Tan, for this part, thanked the BGC for its support.

“Iisa ang ating adhikain: ang isang mapayapa, maunlad at masaganang Bangsamoro region na may paggalang sa karapatan ng lahat ng sektor na bibigyan ng boses sa pamahalaan,” Tan said.

(We have one aspiration: a peaceful, progressive, and prosperous Bangsamoro region that respects the rights of all sectors and gives them a voice in the government.)

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Tan is in his second term as governor of Sulu. He entered politics as a municipal councilor of Jolo in 1981, and served as Sulu’s first district representative from 1987 to 1992.

He also served as governor of Sulu from 1996 to 2001 and from 2007 to 2013.