The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) may face and must prepare for numerous changes following the Supreme Court’s ruling to separate Sulu province from the region, an official said on Thursday.
This follows the Supreme Court's decision to uphold Sulu's plebiscite result from 2019 regarding its inclusion in the BARMM, rather than considering the overall votes from all participants in the plebiscite.
In an interview with DZRH for Damdaming Bayan, BARMM Cabinet Secretary Mohd Asnin Pendatun expressed concern about the implications of the ruling on the upcoming first parliamentary elections in 2025.
"So una pong implication niya is ‘yung district representatives na members of the parliament na mayroon pito sa Sulu out of the 80 seats ng parliament," Pendatun mentioned.
"Ngayon pong wala na ‘yung Sulu, isang malaking katanungan ano ‘yung gagawin doon sa pito na originally nakalaan para sa probinsya," he added.
From the government’s perspective, the implications will be broader and more significant. This includes government services, as the Supreme Court’s decision is final and executory.
Employees of government offices in Sulu province, teachers, health workers, and even students are expected to be at the center of the issue.
Although Pendatun is pleased that the court recognized the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, he is also disappointed by the five-year delay in correcting the mistake of including Sulu in the BARMM.
According to the official, they will be compelled to review the proposed budget for the region, primarily affecting employees and thousands of teachers and scholars.
It is also unclear at this time whether Sulu should still be allocated funds following the ruling.
