House bills filed to extend term of Bangsamoro Transition Authority

At least three measures have already been filed at the House of Representatives seeking to extend the term of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) for three years to allow more time for the full transition to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

House Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity chair Esmael Mangudadatu on Monday announced that he has filed House Bill 8117, which seeks to postpone the first BARMM elections from 2022 to 2025, effectively extending the term of its members.

He said Deputy Speaker Loren Legarda and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez have also filed House Bills 8116 and 8161, respectively, which aso seek to move the BARMM elections until 2025.

The BTA is serving as the interim government of BARMM.

"This humble representation sincerely agrees with President [Rodrigo] Duterte, Secretary [Carlito] Galvez and the BARMM that the BTA needs a term extension. It is very unlikely that they can put everything in place in a very short span of three years," Mangudadatu said.

"The transition period is inadequate for an effective transition and full realization of the CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsomoro) which was further hampered by the health crisis. This is the reason why I filed House Bill 8117 to extend the BTA's term up to 2025," he added.

Mangudadatu also said that many House members have also signified intent in co-authoring the bill, including Speaker Lord Allan Velasco and Minority Leader Joseph Stephen Paduano.

The three measures have already been referred to Committees on Suffrage and Electoral Reforms, on Muslim Affairs, on the Special Committee on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity, with the deliberations expected to start in January next year, he added.

"I am personally calling out our dear colleagues to join us and support the enactment of this proposed legislation," Mangudadatu said.

"The achievement of the aspirations of peace, unity, genuine autonomy and development in the BARMM region is also the achievement of the whole nation."

The ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law in 2019 paved the way for the creation of the BARMM to replace the old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The BARMM includes Cotabato City, 63 barangays in the municipalities of  Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pigkawayan and Pikit in North Cotabato. It has expanded land and water jurisdiction, fiscal autonomy, increased share in national government resources, among others. —KBK, GMA News