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COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Government Spokesperson Mohammad Asnin Pendatun clarified has Thursday, November 15, the appointment of the Members of Parliament (MPs) who filed their Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) for the upcoming first regional parliamentary elections.
Contrary to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s statement on Wednesday that MPs who filed their COCs for the May 12, 2025, elections are “deemed resigned”, Pendatun explained in a press conference that while candidacy may imply resignation, it is important to consider the nature of their positions before making any decisions.
“In fact, in 2022, we sought legal opinions from Comelec (Commission on Elections). It was mentioned that the perspective on the position of members of parliament is political by nature although appointed by the President, so they are not considered resigned from their posts,” he asserts.
This means that BTA (Bangsamoro Transition Authority) members can continue to serve in their current capacity until the official results of the elections are announced.
“Under the law, when an appointed official files a candidacy, they are considered resigned, but the nature of their position is also taken into account. In the case of members of parliament, if their position is deemed political, that’s what matters. This is where things get conflict(ed), as the perspective on their position’s nature determines the outcome,” he adds.
Pendatun also mentioned that various officials appointed by the then President Benigno S. Aquino III were not considered resigned after filing their COCs for the May 2013 elections in the defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“The experiences from these past situations have helped guide our understanding of why appointed officials, like members of parliament, are not considered resigned and can continue serving their duties and responsibilities after filing their certificates of candidacy,” he added.
Furthermore, the Bangsamoro Government remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring a peaceful and democratic transition towards a more prosperous and inclusive Bangsamoro.
The BTA members are committed to ensuring the smooth and uninterrupted delivery of public services and remain dedicated to fulfilling their responsibilities until their terms officially end.
The Bangsamoro region, established in 2018 by the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to implement the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan, and Marawi, as well as the Special Geographic Area’s (SGA) 63 barangays or villages that voted “Yes” in a plebiscite in February 2019 to be under the BARMM jurisdiction. With the recent plebiscite at SGA, the BARMM now has eight new municipalities as residents voted “Yes”.
According to the Philippine Atlas BARMM has 4,404,288 people. It has 116 municipalities (plus eight newly established under the SGA: Basilan, 11 municipalities; Lanao del Sur, 39; undivided Maguindanao, 36; Sulu, 19; and Tawi-Tawi, 11. Its component cities are Cotabato (the regional center and capital) in Maguindanao; Lamitan in Basilan; and Marawi in Lanao del Sur. (Johaira Sahidala/BIO) — (✓)