The Bangsamoro region’s pillars - the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Central Committee of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) - have endorsed the re-election bid of Senator.Joel Villanueva.
In their official statement, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the MILF, favorably endorsed the reelection of Villanueva in the upcoming elections.
The UBJP, led by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Al Haj, said in its statement that Villanueva was picked based on his record and contribution to Bangsamoro.
The Central Committee (CC) of the MNLF and its political party, the Bangsamoro Party (BaPa), also issued a statement of support for Villanueva’s second term in the Senate, emphasizing that they “need the steadfast Joel ‘Tesdaman’ Villanueva, an anchor of labor and educational policies, to be our partner for the development of the Bangsamoro Region”.
MNLF officers who signed the statement include CC-MNLF Secretary General Utto Salem Cutan, OIC Vice President of BaPa for North Central Mindanao and CC-MNLF Vice Chairman for Internal Affairs Dale “Alexis” Malna, VP of BaPa for South Central Mindanao and CC-MNLF Vice Chair for Political Affairs and Chairman of the Committee on Labor and Employment MP Romeo K. Sema, and VP of BaPa for South Western Mindanao (BASULTA) and Vice Chairman for Foreign Affairs and the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament Deputy Speaker MP Hatimil E. Hassan.
Villanueva thanked both UBJP-MILF and BaPa-MNLF for a unified Bangsamoro support for his reelection.
“It is a huge honor to be blessed with the support and trust of the Bangsamoro,’’ he said.
Villanueva actively participated during the deliberations and passage of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, where the senator fought for the full guarantee and exposition of religious belief and creed in the Bangsamoro territory, and to protect the Bangsamoro people from harassment or any undue pressure, coercion and violence on account of religion.
The endorsements from the Bangsamoro pillars are the latest in the list of prominent groups that pledged support for the senator’s second term. Recently, Villanueva was endorsed by various groups including the League of Provinces in the Philippines, the United Nationalist Democratic Organization, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, and religious groups Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and El Shaddai.
“This is proof that we are gaining wide support for us to continue serving in the Senate,’’ Villanueva said.
Villanueva has also received support for his reelection from President Duterte, who said the senator is a God-fearing and honest leader.
He is also the common senatorial candidate of presidential hopefuls Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson and Senator Emmanuel ‘Manny’ Pacquiao, as well as vice presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte.