Still no consensus on BTA extension after Wednesday meeting at Palace
THERE is no consensus yet on whether the elections for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (BARMM) parliament members will push through in 2022 or will be postponed by three years, a senator said on Thursday.
Senator Majority Leader Juan Miguel F. Zubiri said BARMM officials led by Chief Minister Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, President Rodrigo R. Duterte, and members of the Senate met on Wednesday night to discuss the measure postponing the first regular elections in the region.
“President Duterte stood largely neutral on the issue and just pointing out the pros and cons of each side,” he told reporters via Viber.
“Unfortunately, there still was no consensus at the end of the meeting and the President directed them all to meet as a Council of Leaders meeting and resolve the issue amongst themselves before having them come back to Malacañang for the final meeting with him on the 24th,” Mr. Zubiri said, adding that hopefully a consensus will be reached by then.
The BARMM parliament is currently composed of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) members, who were nominated by various stakeholders and appointed by the President.
Senator Francis N. Tolentino sponsored to the plenary in May Senate Bill No. 2214, which sought to postpone the 2022 Bangsamoro Government first regular election until 2025 to implement peace-building efforts in the region which was also affected by the pandemic. It is pending on second reading. — Vann Marlo M. Villegas
