Marcos leads oath-taking of new Bangsamoro transition members

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday administered the oath-taking of the new members of the parliament of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

BTA serves as the the interim government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, BARMM chief minister, led the 80 new members who took their oath.

The BTA said the new members will represent the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Sulu, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi, as well as members of the Bangsamoro community in North Cotabato, indigenous peoples who are not Moro, the Kalagan or Kagan community in Davao Oriental, and Christian or settler communities in Davao City and Cotabato City.

The oathtaking ceremony was witnessed by United Nations Resident Coordinator Gustavo Gonzales, according to Executive Secretary Attorney Victor Rodriguez.

Those who took oath of office include:

Republic Act No. 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law states that the BTA "shall be the interim government in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region during the transition period," with legislative and executive powers and functions of the Bangsamoro government.

It further specifies that the "MILF (Moro Islamic Liberation Front) shall lead the BTA, without prejudice to the participation of the MNLF (Moro National Liberation Front) in its membership.

Of the 80 members of the BTA, 41 are from the MILF while the remaining 39 will come from the Government of the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Marcos also swore into office on Thursday three new appointees: Aileen Anunciacion Zosa (Bases Conversion and Development Authority [BCDA] President and Chief Executive Officer); Olivia 'Bong' Coo (Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner); and Mylene Garcia-Albano (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines to Japan).—LDF, GMA News