Escudero: Let BARMM voters choose own leaders | ABS-CBN
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Escudero: Let BARMM voters choose own leaders
Escudero: Let BARMM voters choose own leaders
Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) assist in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite at the Cotabato City Pilot School, Jan. 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) assist in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) plebiscite at the Cotabato City Pilot School, Jan. 21, 2019. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero joined political leaders from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in urging the holding of regional elections free from the interference of national officials.
MANILA — Senate President Francis Escudero joined political leaders from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in urging the holding of regional elections free from the interference of national officials.
The BARMM, created by law in 2018 and ratified by plebiscite in 2019, has a parliamentary regional government that has an asymmetric relationship with the central government. The region has its own political parties.
The BARMM, created by law in 2018 and ratified by plebiscite in 2019, has a parliamentary regional government that has an asymmetric relationship with the central government. The region has its own political parties.
Escudero received BARMM officials led by Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan at the Senate President's Ceremonial Hall on Tuesday but made clear that the meeting was not an endorsement of any potential candidates in the parliamentary elections in May 2025.
Escudero received BARMM officials led by Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan at the Senate President's Ceremonial Hall on Tuesday but made clear that the meeting was not an endorsement of any potential candidates in the parliamentary elections in May 2025.
"Pero tulad ko, sinumang nasa nasyunal na pamahalaan ay hindi rin dapat makialam at sana wala rin i-endorso para malayang makapili ang ating mga kababayan ng kanilang mga magiging lider dito sa bagong likha nating BARMM," he said.
"Pero tulad ko, sinumang nasa nasyunal na pamahalaan ay hindi rin dapat makialam at sana wala rin i-endorso para malayang makapili ang ating mga kababayan ng kanilang mga magiging lider dito sa bagong likha nating BARMM," he said.
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(Nobody in the national government should interfere or endorse candidates so our countrymen can freely choose the leaders of the BARMM)
(Nobody in the national government should interfere or endorse candidates so our countrymen can freely choose the leaders of the BARMM)
Escudero said he congratulated the potential canddiates for being involved in the coming elections.
Escudero said he congratulated the potential canddiates for being involved in the coming elections.
"Para sa akin, importante at mahalaga na magkaroon ng pagpipilian ang ating mga kababayan sa BARMM at hindi lamang dinidikta ng pamahalaan kung sino lang ang dapat o pwede nilang botohan," he said.
"Para sa akin, importante at mahalaga na magkaroon ng pagpipilian ang ating mga kababayan sa BARMM at hindi lamang dinidikta ng pamahalaan kung sino lang ang dapat o pwede nilang botohan," he said.
(For me, it is important that our fellow Filipinos in the BARMM have freedom of choice and that the national government does not dictate who they should or can vote for)
(For me, it is important that our fellow Filipinos in the BARMM have freedom of choice and that the national government does not dictate who they should or can vote for)
'ABOUT TIME FOR ELECTIONS'
Escudero said that even in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that BARMM replaced, the region's leaders were chosen by the national government.
Escudero said that even in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao that BARMM replaced, the region's leaders were chosen by the national government.
The officials of the current BARMM government are part of a transitional government that is part of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the central government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The officials of the current BARMM government are part of a transitional government that is part of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro between the central government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
He said future BARMM officials should owe their positions to the electorate and not to the national government or the military.
He said future BARMM officials should owe their positions to the electorate and not to the national government or the military.
"Para sa akin, ang limang taon ay mahaba na, sobra pa nga sa isang termino nila ng mga lokal na opisyal... mahaba-haba naman na siguro yun para makapaghanda rin sila sa eleksiyon, may maipakita na sa mga botante at ibalik nang muli sa botante ang pagpili ng mga magiging lider sa BARMM," the Senate president said.
"Para sa akin, ang limang taon ay mahaba na, sobra pa nga sa isang termino nila ng mga lokal na opisyal... mahaba-haba naman na siguro yun para makapaghanda rin sila sa eleksiyon, may maipakita na sa mga botante at ibalik nang muli sa botante ang pagpili ng mga magiging lider sa BARMM," the Senate president said.
(For me, five years is long enough — even too long for a single term for local officials. That should be enough time for the incumbents to prepare for elections and have something to show voters and to give their constituents the power to choose the next leaders of the BARMM)
(For me, five years is long enough — even too long for a single term for local officials. That should be enough time for the incumbents to prepare for elections and have something to show voters and to give their constituents the power to choose the next leaders of the BARMM)
Tan, who had campaigned against Sulu's inclusion in the BARMM, said that the region's voters are ready to hold elections.
Tan, who had campaigned against Sulu's inclusion in the BARMM, said that the region's voters are ready to hold elections.
"[N]ang sa ganun, gaya ng nasabi ni Senate president, para may accountability ang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan sa buong BARMM," he said.
"[N]ang sa ganun, gaya ng nasabi ni Senate president, para may accountability ang mga opisyal ng pamahalaan sa buong BARMM," he said.
(That way, the government officials across the BARMM will have accountability.)
(That way, the government officials across the BARMM will have accountability.)
BANGSAMORO COALITION
Escudero noted that political leaders in the region have formed the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition comprising "almost all" the elected officials in BARMM.
Escudero noted that political leaders in the region have formed the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition comprising "almost all" the elected officials in BARMM.
"So, malaking bagay ito para maipakita na may valid atsaka malakas na choice na pagpipilian ang ating mga kababayan sa BARMM kung sino nga ba ang gusto nilang manguna, maging lider at humawak ng napakalaking block grant na binibigay natin sa BARMM area," he said.
"So, malaking bagay ito para maipakita na may valid atsaka malakas na choice na pagpipilian ang ating mga kababayan sa BARMM kung sino nga ba ang gusto nilang manguna, maging lider at humawak ng napakalaking block grant na binibigay natin sa BARMM area," he said.
(This is a big development to show that there are valid options that voters can choose from for their leaders who will have control of the large block grant that we give the BARMM)
(This is a big development to show that there are valid options that voters can choose from for their leaders who will have control of the large block grant that we give the BARMM)
According to the BARMM government website, the regional government gets a block grant of around P60 billion-P70 billion "equivalent to five percent of the net national internal revenue collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and of the Bureau of Customs."
According to the BARMM government website, the regional government gets a block grant of around P60 billion-P70 billion "equivalent to five percent of the net national internal revenue collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and of the Bureau of Customs."
The money is meant to help the region develop and and to help address historical neglect and underdevelopment of Muslim Mindanao.
The money is meant to help the region develop and and to help address historical neglect and underdevelopment of Muslim Mindanao.
Tan said the political leaders in his coalition have agreed that they can continue the normalization and decommissioning of former rebels in the BARMM while using the region's funds to spur progress in the region.
Tan said the political leaders in his coalition have agreed that they can continue the normalization and decommissioning of former rebels in the BARMM while using the region's funds to spur progress in the region.
Although the parties have signed a peace deal, parts of it, including the transition of former rebels back to civilian and mainstream society and the transformation of MILF camps into developed communities is an ongoing process.
Although the parties have signed a peace deal, parts of it, including the transition of former rebels back to civilian and mainstream society and the transformation of MILF camps into developed communities is an ongoing process.
Tan plans to run for a seat in the regional parliament with the hopes of being elected chief minister by the law making body.
Tan plans to run for a seat in the regional parliament with the hopes of being elected chief minister by the law making body.
The MILF-affiliated United Bangsamoro Justice Party, which is led by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, has 41 of 80 seats in the Bangsamoro parliament and one of six provincial governorships in the region.
The MILF-affiliated United Bangsamoro Justice Party, which is led by BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, has 41 of 80 seats in the Bangsamoro parliament and one of six provincial governorships in the region.
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