A political analyst expressed high confidence in the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. in synchronizing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliament and general elections next year.
In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Professor Richard Heydarian highlighted the importance of getting the Bangsamoro issue right because of its security and stability implications particularly as the country focuses on dealing with external issues.
“I think President (Ferdinand) Marcos Jr. realizes na mahalaga na we get BARMM right because iyon ‘yung soft underbelly natin. Kung magulo ang Mindanao ulit, eh paano na tayo mag-focus sa Taiwan, paano tayo mag-focus sa West Philippine Sea?,” Heydarian said.
“So, again, from the national security standpoint, we have to get the BARMM question right. Right doesn’t mean ten out of ten, even six out of ten. I’m okay with that considering also the reality na magkakaroon talaga ng mga trapos, dynasties and also iyong some of the transition issues from rebels to government officials,” he said.
Delaying the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) elections might send the wrong signal to Mindanao stakeholders, Heydarian said.
However, the government may choose to move the regional elections in 2026 but not in 2027, he said.
Heydarian said there is high confidence in the Marcos administration to synchronize the regional polls with the 2025 elections because of its strength and formidability.
In an interview Friday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said the government is carefully studying its next move following the Supreme Court (SC) decision upholding the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) while excluding Sulu from the BARMM. (PND)
