Screening of BARMM LGU execs begins

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — The Bangsa-moro region have started screening aspirants for mayor, vice mayor and municipal councilors for the eight newly created towns covering 63 predominantly Moro barangays in Cotabato province.

The eight municipalities – Pahamudin, Kadayangan, Nabalawag, Old Kaabacan, Kapalawan, Malidegao, Tugunan and Ligawasan – were established via a plebiscite administered in April by the Commission on Elections.

Mohammad Kellie Antao, member of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliament, explained to the applicants the intricacies of the selection process during a dialogue in Midsayap town on Tuesday.

Antao was quoted in radio reports as saying that the appointment of local officials will be done by BARMM officials led by Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim.

He also urged them to willingly accept the outcome of the selection process.

The eight new BARMM towns in Cotabato province covers 63 barangays whose residents voted in favor of the inclusion of their barangays in the proposed core territory of the autonomous region during a plebiscite in 2019. The plebiscite was part of the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Antao told reporters yesterday that their extensive brainstorming session with applicants for positions in the eight new BARMM towns was assisted by parliament representatives Muhaquer Iqbal and Mohammad Pak and by University of Southern Mindanao professor Ishak Hashim.