By: Ferdinandh B. Cabrera
March 19, 2024
5:24 pm
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 March) – Eight political parties expected to join the first parliamentary elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in May 2025 gathered here Monday, March 18, for a forum aimed “to harmonize a democratic, transparent, and accountable” regional elections.
Dubbed “Defending Election Integrity in the BARMM,” the forum also seeks to deepen the understanding of political parties of their significant roles and responsibilities in catalyzing citizens on the political and electoral system.
During the roundtable discussion, party representatives expressed hopes that the first Bangsamoro Parliament election will be successful.
While there was no covenant signing after the forum, organizers hope the occasion would pave the towards that goal.
The participating political parties were:
| POLITICAL PARTY | BRIEF DESCRIPTION | |
| 1 | United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) | UBJP is affiliated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). |
| 2 | Bangsamoro People’s Party (BPP) | BPP is led by Bangsamoro Member of Parliament (MP) Amir Mawallil, which champions a healthy and resilient democracy based on inclusiveness, unification and equity. |
| 3 | Bangsamoro Party (BaPa) | BaPa is affiliated with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) – Muslimin Sema faction. |
| 4 | Rayyat Development Party (RDP) | RDP is led by MP Atty. Jose Lorena. |
| 5 | Al-Ittihad Mindanawe Darussalam- Ungaya Ku Kawagibu Bangsamoro | Al-Ittihad is headed by TESDA Secretary Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu. |
| 6 | Serbisyong Inklusibo – Alyansang Progressibo (SIAP) | SIAP is headed by Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Adiong Jr. in alliance with Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra and the municipal mayors in the province. |
| 7 | Mahardika | Mahardika is affiliated with the MNLF-Nur Misuari faction. |
| 8 | Indigenous Peoples Democratic Party (IPDP) | IPDP is composed mostly of T’durays and other indigenous peoples’ communities in the BARMM. It is chaired by MP Froilyn Mendoza. |
Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authoriy (BPDA) Director General Mohajirin Ali, UBJP secretary general, represented their party.
He said the UBJP will continue what the Government of the Day, which is made up of MILF members, has started for the Bangsamoro region.
“Our hope is that the votes will be counted accurately,” Ali said in his opening statement.
MP Atty. Rasol Mitmug, BPP secretary general and spokesperson, said the party hopes to involve more young people in governance.
He also encouraged more political parties to join the regional elections, noting the Bangsamoro peace deal pushes proportional representation.
BaPa was represented by MP and Deputy Speaker Atty. Omar Sema, who is the spokesperson and deputy secretary-general of the party.
Sema highlighted that they want the first parliamentary elections to be successful, no matter if they win or lose.
RDP was represented by their spokesperson, Nadia Lorena.
She said that “voices in the governance must start within the party” and that sectoral groups must be consulted.
Al-Ittihad was represented by lawyer Badrodin Mangindra, who said they will work for socio-economic empowerment through “a convergence council.”
The council will include the MNLF, MILF, community members and local political leaders, he said.
SIAP was represented. by Atty. Faisal Cali.
His party highlighted the importance of transitional justice and inclusive governance. He mentioned the vital role of the halal industry in developing the region.
Mahardika party is represented by their secretary general, Nur Ainee-Lim, daughter of MNLF founder Nur Misuari. She is also a Member of the Parliament and Deputy Minister of the Social Services Ministry of the region.
Lim pushed for a gender-sensitive leadership that is competent and upholds moral governance, which has been the guiding principle of the Government of the Day.
IPDP was represented by their secretary general, Deonato Mokudef, who said the party will champion inclusive governance.
“The first BARMM election is not just about the elections of Maguindanaons,Maranaos, Iranuns or any ethnic groups. Rather this election is a drive for change for the future generations of the Bangsamoro people,” he said.
Security is a major concern in the Bangsamoro region during elections. The region become notorious for election-related violence.
The parties agreed that it is time to end the era of warlordism, the dismantling of private armed groups and the full implementation of the decommissioning process for former MILF rebels.
The forum also discussed ways to fight disinformation and misinformation on social media that could become rampant during the campaign period for the first Bangsamoro Parliament election.
Dr. Julio Tehankee, the forum’s guest speaker from the Ateneo School of Government, stressed that fake news or disinformation are “corroding factors in democracy.”
He noted that social media platforms, such as Facebook, has become influential and instrumental in the election victories of former President former President Rodrigo Duterte and incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In Indonesia, its new President Prabowo Subianto utilized Tiktok, he added.
Forum participants “agreed to avoid hate speeches or any dirty tactics, including using trolls” during the campaigning.
The event was organized by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) with support from the United Kingdom (UK) government.
“The UK government is providing support to political parties to enable them to better understand the process of political party formation and the maturity to enable a peaceful democratic process of debates over the next years so that citizens can make informed decisions,” UK Ambassador Laure Beaufils told this reporter at her office in Manila.
She added that different stakeholders can come together, think about what they have in common and what they can accomplish together, and discuss their different perspectives and how that can be reconciled. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
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