BARMM considers appealing SC ruling on Sulu separation

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COTABATO CITY — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is considering an appeal on the Supreme Court’s ruling separating Sulu from the autonomous region.

“We will carefully study the Supreme Court’s decision on Sulu’s exclusion with the commitment to explore all avenues to hold fast to the dream of a united Bangsamoro as well as ensure that the commitments enshrined in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro will be fully realized,” BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim said in a statement released on Wednesday.

“We remain hopeful that in time, the unity that binds the Bangsamoro people through history, struggle, and shared aspirations will prevail,” he added.

Other parliament members were also sad over the exclusion of Sulu from the BARMM.

“Sulu is not only an essential component of the Bangsamoro by virtue of law but also by its deep historical and cultural ties to the Bangsamoro identity and struggle. The Bangsamoro will never be the same without Sulu and its people,” Ebrahim explained.

Mohd Asnin Pendatun, BARMM spokesperson, said the consensus among BARMM leaders is to push with the first-ever parliamentary elections next year unless the Commission on Elections and Congress would do otherwise.

On the other hand, the BARMM welcomed the high court’s decision affirming the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

“This landmark ruling validates the decades-long peace process that led to the creation of the BARMM, a region that embodies the aspirations of the Bangsamoro people for self-determination and autonomy,” he said.

Ebrhaim said the BOL is far more than just a legislative act. He added that it is a measure that gives legal effect to the politically negotiated settlements, reflecting the agreements and compromise of various stakeholders.

He also commended the SC’s confirmation of the Bangsamoro parliamentary system as a constitutionally valid framework.

The system is intended to enhance responsiveness to the needs and concerns of the Bangsamoro people, ensuring their voices are acknowledged and their interests are properly represented, he added.