With or without 2022 BARMM polls, BTA committed to pass Electoral Code — official

Bangsamoro spokesperson Minister Naguib Sinarimbo on Monday said that if the 2022 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will not push through, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority will continue to push for the passage of the Electoral Code.

“Whether may election or wala, ang BTA po ay committed na ipasa ‘yung Electoral Code. Ang major challenge lang namin sa Electoral Code ay medyo masalimuot na batas ito dahil marami siyang major changes na gustong iimpose sa elections,” Sinarimbo said during Tapatan sa Aristocrat virtual briefing.

(Whether the election will push through or not, the BTA is committed to pass the Electoral Code. It is challenging though because it wants to impose major changes in our elections.)

“Ang primary dito ‘yung political party system dahil alam naman ho natin dito sa amin, ang eleksyon ho ay among families lang,” he added.

(The primary change it wants to impose is the political party system because we all know that in our area, elections are usually among families.)

Sinarimbo said the BTA is also discussing measures to ensure the proper sectoral representations during the elections.

There have been ongoing debates on whether the BARMM elections would push through next year as there were bills seeking to move the polls in 2025.

BARMM chief minister Ahod Ebrahim said an extension of the BTA’s work was necessary because it has to fulfill some of its obligations under the Bangsamoro Organic Law due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has claimed that President Rodrigo Duterte is also supporting the BTA’s extension.

The Commission on Elections said it continues to prepare for the elections despite talks of postponement. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA News