đź“·Makabayan Coalition’s Bangsamoro senatorial candidate Amirah “Mek” Ali Lidasan
Makabayan Coalition’s Bangsamoro senatorial candidate, Amirah “Mek” Ali Lidasan, urges the Senate and Congress to allow the Bangsamoro electorate to determine the fate of the elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) next year, rather than kowtowing to the demands of Malacañang.
This statement responds to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero’s assertion that the postponement of the first regular elections in the BARMM for one year is at the behest of Malacañang.
“We in Makabayan believe that it should be up to the Moro people to decide whether to proceed with or postpone the first election in a parliamentary government, and this should not be forced upon them,” said Lidasan.
The Makabayan Bangsamoro senatorial candidate is concerned that Senator Escudero’s admission of Malacañang’s involvement in the postponement reflects a troubling intervention by the national government in the fate of the BARMM. While the Bangsamoro Transition Authority has passed a resolution seeking an extension of the interim government, acknowledging that this favors Malacañang is a violation of the rights of the BTA and the Moro people’s right to self-determination.
“Rather than impose the postponement of the election, the Senate and BTA resolutions should serve as a platform to address these concerns and amplify the voices of grassroots constituents who are eager to vote for the first time in a parliamentary government,” Lidasan added.
“We also urge the Senate and Congress to promptly resolve the legal and technical challenges stemming from the Supreme Court’s decision to exclude Sulu from BARMM so that it will not become an impediment to the Bangsamoro electorate’s right to vote and choose their leaders in the BARMM,” said Lidasan.
Lidasan also said that Makabayan calls for the national government, especially Congress and the executive branch, to collaborate with stakeholders, including the BARMM interim government, civil society organizations, and political parties, to devise a strategic solution that honors the spirit and letter of the various agreements and upholds genuine autonomy and self-determination, rather than leading to further disintegration of the BARMM and undermining the hard-won gains of the Bangsamoro struggle.”#
