No actions yet on BARMM poll deferment bill in Senate

MANILA – After multiple calls from various stakeholders to suspend the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the Senate seems to have no plan yet to legislate the proposed measure a few months before the elections.

Records of the Senate revealed that as of this date, no hearing was scheduled to deliberate on the bill even its counterpart measure was already approved on final reading by the House.

The sessions of both legislative chambers will only last until February 8 before taking a break to accommodate the 2025 midterm election campaign period.

The 19th Congress will reconvene from June 2 until June 13, at which point it will adjourn sine die. 

The counterpart bill has already been approved on the third and final reading on December 17, 2024.

Senate president Chiz Escudero, in November 2024, filed a bill to formalize his proposal seeking to defer the BARMM parliamentary elections.

BARMM stakeholders and public officials have expressed their support for the deferment of the 2025 elections in the region. However, the Senate remains silent on the said proposal a few months before the elections begin in May.

Groups and stakeholders continue to call on the upper chamber to take action on the said bill.

"This purposeful resetting is intended to ensure that the electoral process is conducted with integrity and safeguards the fundamental right of suffrage by creating the conditions indispensable for its meaningful exercise," Basilan Gov. Jim Hataman Salliman, Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Alonto Adiong Jr., Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua and Tawi-Tawi Gov. Yshmael Sali previously said in a joint statement.

The governors maintained that the cause of their call is not politics, as it is the responsibility of the legislature to consider the welfare of BARMM residents.

Some 10 Basilan mayors, including Roderick Furigay of Lamitan City, Nasser Abubakar of Lantawan, Moner Manisan of Tabuan Lasa, Jomar Maturan of Ungkaya Pukan, Jaydeefar Lajid of Albarka, Alih Sali of Akbar, Arsina Kahing-Nanoh of Muhtamad, Jul-Adnan Hataman of Sumisip, Arcam Istarul of Tipo-Tipo, and Talib Pawaki of Hj. Muhammad Ajul has also shown support for the postponement of the said election.

In passing House Bill No. 11144, Speaker Martin Romualdez said the one-year postponement "would allow for more time for the promotion of broader participation from political parties and the electorate, and enhance their understanding of new electoral processes."