BARMM political parties start coalition talks
COTABATO CITY – The major regional political parties in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have held talks to form a majority coalition party that will rule the first elected regional legislature.
The BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) separately met with the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) and Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), the BARMM’s dominant majority and minority political parties, respectively.
The BGC is composed of entrenched traditional politicians in the Bangsamoro region; the UBJP is the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), while the BFP groups both traditional politicians and MILF leaders who left UBJP.
READ: Coalitions shaping up to rule Bangsamoro
Their meetings came weeks after the Sept. 14 historic Bangsamoro parliamentary, which resulted in no single political group mustering enough seats to form a dominant majority party to rule the 80-member regional legislature,
The BGC leaders, composed of Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong Jr., Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman, Sulu Vice Gov. Abdusakur Tan, and former Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu, first met on Monday with the UBJP headed by MILF chairperson Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim and Mohagher Iqbal, MILF first vice chairperson.
On Tuesday evening, the BGC leaders met with the BFP headed by Interim Chief Minister Abduraof Macacua, as part of the latter’s continuing efforts “to strengthen dialogue and collaboration toward a peaceful, progressive, and inclusive Bangsamoro.”
Member of Parliament-elect Amir Mawallil said the BGC twin engagements were “all in the spirit of dialogue, with conversations centered on collaboration toward a strong and inclusive Bangsamoro Government.”
Basilan Gov. Hataman said BGC is exploring all available means to continue dialogue aimed at building unity, respect, and creating spaces to listen to each other.
READ: LIST: Winning party, sectoral representatives in BARMM polls
“We do not always have to share the same views to be able to work together. What matters is that we know how to listen, respect our differences, and find areas where we can work together,” Hataman said.
“Ultimately,” he said, “the goal is to build a peaceful and prosperous Bangsamoro where every family and community has opportunities to improve their lives.”
The BGC is the third regional political party with the most number of seats won in the Sept. 14 polls, after the BFP and UBJP.
The coalition garnered 15 seats: eight party seats and seven single-district representatives (six from Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) Party and one from Al-Ittihad Party).
The BFP won 31 seats while the UBJP bagged 30. The Raayat Party and the Progresibong Bangsamoro Party (PBP), on the other hand, won one seat each. Last Aug. 25, the Teduray and Lambangian communities selected their two parliamentary representatives in accordance with their customary laws.
The first elected parliament needs to form the Government of the Day, or the majority party, through coalition-building, as no single party mustered enough seats to become the dominant party in the regional legislature.
READ: Comelec to investigate pre-shaded ballots in BARMM polls
The new regular parliament starts its mandate on October 30 and runs until June 30, 2031./coa
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