ESCUDERO ASKS PBBM TO NAME REPLACEMENTS FOR BTA MEMBERS RUNNING FOR BARMM POLLS

SENATE President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero has asked President Ferdinand 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.

There are 80 parliamentary seats up for grabs in next year’s election in the region, and 35 out of the 40 present members of the BTA have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) with the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

With these filings, Escudero said, the 35 BTA members are deemed resigned and should vacate their positions in accordance with the Constitution and election laws.

“Fairness dictates that officials running for office should be deemed resigned. 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. Fairness and avoidance of conflict of interest dictate nothing less,” said Escudero, who is a lawyer.

Questions have been raised about the implementing rules and regulations of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code, which allows appointed officials of the BARMM who file for candidacies to remain in their respective posts.

It also states that officials who lost in the elections are not covered by the one-year ban on appointments and can be given named to other posts immediately.

“Itong dalawang provision na ito ay paglabag sa Saligang Batas. Ang express provision ng Constitution ay nagsasabi na hindi pwede makilahok sa partisan political activity ang sinumang official sa civil service, permanent man o appointed in a co-terminus capacity,” Escudero 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,” he added. 

Escudero maintained that in order to ensure a “clean, honest, believable and peaceful” polls, 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,” the Senate Chief said.

Escudero has earlier filed Senate Bill No. 2862 seeking to move the BARMM election to May 11, 2026 in view of the Supreme Court ruling that excludes the province of Sulu from the regional group after its residents voted against its inclusion during a plebiscite. A similar measure has been filed in the House of Representatives by Speaker Martin Romualdez.

He, however, said that the filing of the separate proposals would not affect the ongoing preparations being undertaken by the Comelec for the BARMM parliamentary election. 

“Dahil BTA pa rin ang governing body sa BARMM. Maraming pagpapasyang gagawin sa mga susunod na buwan na hindi dapat magamit sa pulitika o mapaboran ang isang panig laban sa kabilang panig,” Escudero said, as he expressed optimism that the President will make the replacements soon.