Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero urged President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to appoint replacements for the 35 members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) seeking to run in the first ever parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) set in May 2025.
Escudero noted that 35 out of the 40 incumbent members of the BTA have filed their respective certificates of candidacy (COCs) for next year’s elections. There are 80 parliamentary seats up for grabs in the upcoming BARMM polls.
“Fairness dictates that officials running for office should be deemed resigned,” Escudero said referring to the 35 BTA members, whom he said should now vacate their positions in accordance with election laws and the Constitution.
“Hindi pwede manatili ang sitwasyon na ang kandidato ay nakaupo at nakapwesto dahil ang pangako natin ay ang magkaroon ng pantay at malinis na halalan (The situation cannot remain that the candidate is sitting and in position because our promise is to conduct an equal and clean election). Fairness and avoidance of conflict of interest dictate nothing less,” said Escudero, who is a lawyer.
Earlier, questions were raised regarding the implementing rules and regulations of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code noting that it allows appointed officials of BARMM to keep their respective positions even when seeking for an electoral post.
The BEC also allows officials who lost in the polls to be exempted from the one-year ban on appointments and be appointed to other posts immediately.
Such provisions are a violation of the Constitution, the Senate leader said.
“These two provisions are a violation of the Constitution. The express provision of the Constitution says that any official in the civil service, whether permanent or appointed in a co-terminus capacity, cannot participate in partisan political activity," he said.
“Kung ang pinanghahawakan nila ay ‘yung provision ng Bangsamoro Electoral Code, para sa akin void ab initio din ‘yun dahil unconstitutional ‘yun from the beginning. Dahil klaro na labag ‘yun sa express provision, hindi lamang ng Omnibus Election Code, kundi pati na rin ng ating Saligang Batas (If what they are holding on to the provision of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, for me that is also void ab initio because it is unconstitutional from the beginning. Because that is clearly against the express provision, not only of the Omnibus Election Code, but also of our Constitution),” the senator explained.
Thus, to ensure a “clean, honest, believable and peaceful” polls, the senator said the BTA officials seeking parliamentary seats should step down.
“Unang hakbang ito, sa aking paniniwala, ng pagkakaroon ng pantay at malinis na halalan sa darating na Mayo man o kung ipagpapaliban ito sa anumang petsa man (This is the first step, in my belief, of having an equal and clean election in the coming May or if it is postponed to any date),” the Senate Chief said.
Escudero filed Senate Bill No. 2862 seeking to move the BARMM election to May 11, 2026 following the Supreme Court’s ruling excluding the province of Sulu from the BARMM after its residents voted against its inclusion during a plebiscite.
House Speaker Martin Romualdez filed the counterpart measure at the House of Representatives.
The Senate chief assured that the filing of separate proposals on the matter would not affect Comelec’s ongoing preparations for the BARMM elections.
As far as he is concerned, Escudero said the BTA is still the governing body in BARMM and is confident that President Marcos will make the necessary replacements soon.
“Maraming pagpapasyang gagawin sa mga susunod na buwan na hindi dapat magamit sa pulitika o mapaboran ang isang panig laban sa kabilang panig (There are many decisions to be made in the next months that should not be used in politics or favor one side against the other),” Escudero said.