MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday said it will review the proposed resolution of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) urging the Congress to extend the Bangsamoro transition period from year 2022 to 2025.
In a Palace press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this remark after Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim expressed support for the resolution.
“It’s the first time po na narinig itong request na ito (we heard this request). I’m sure the Palace will consider it and will study options,” he said.
The BARMM, an expanded autonomous region created upon the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in January 2019, is the outcome of the comprehensive peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) after years of negotiations.
Currently, the BARMM is under transition.
During the transition period, the interim Bangsamoro government will identify the new structural framework of the BARMM taking into consideration the existing structure, budget, and other relevant features of the now defunct-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The transition period will end once the new set of BARMM officials have been elected in political exercises.
In journalist Christian Esguerra’s Facts First podcast aired last November 12, Ebrahim said there is a need to “strengthen” the BARMM government because it is a new entity.
“This needs time in order to do it, you can’t do it overnight,” Ebrahim said.
Lawyer Jose Lorena of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), one of the principal authors of the resolution, said the extended transition period will provide the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) with sufficient time to continue in performing its powers and functions, and complete its mandate.
Lorena also said his basis for passing the resolution is Ebrahim’s position that he is in favor of extending the transition period.
“I stand by our chief minister, when he declared that in the normalization, there is much to be sought off,” he said.