BARMM inauguration moved anew to March 29

COTABATO CITY – The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has moved the inauguration of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its parliament’s opening session to March 29.

The BTA, now on its third week of operations, had originally set the twin-events set for March 11, 21 and 25 as its leadership waited for the presence of President Duterte, who reportedly confirmed on March 14 in Davao City that he would be available on March 25.

Led by Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chair Murad Ebrahim as Interim Chief Minister (ICM), the BTA governs the BARMM governance until the succession of its regular officials to be elected in the 2022 elections.

Ebrahim informed BTA members in caucus here Tuesday that the inauguration would be moved again to March 29 because “gusto ni PRRD (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) mag-attend.”

BTA is prescribed under the BARMM Charter (R.A. 11054) to have 80 members, 41 of them MILF nominees and 39 government representatives.

The President appointed and swore in all 41 MILF nominees led by Ebrahim alongside 35 government nominees last Feb. 22. But MILF first Vice Chair Ghazali Jaafar, whom Ebrahim named as parliament speaker, died on March 13. This redounded for the President to fill up five vacancies in the transition body.

One or two BTA members had reportedly suggested that their affairs “should not be dependent on the presence or attendance of the President. But the BTA leadership overruled the suggestion, citing the keenness of the President in the success of BARMM operations.

The BTA is still using the flag of the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the absence of a code to be adopted by the regional parliament for the official BARMM flag starting from its inaugural session.

In their three weeks of operations, 10 regional ministries initially created by ICM Ebrahim been holding skeletal works for continuity of public services and projects left unfinished by the defunct ARMM.

Frequently mentioned in the local media about their activities were the ministries of education, environment, natural resources and energy led concurrently by MILF second Vice Chair Mohagher Iqbal as minister; local government led by Minister Naguib Sinarimbo; and health led by Minister Safrullah Dipatuan. (Ali G. Macabalang)