Chiz: BARMM polls to test if PH ready for parliamentary govt
SENATE President Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero yesterday said the upcoming elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will be a good barometer if the parliamentary form of government can be adopted in the Philippines.
“Magandang pagkakataon na rin ito na maipakitang (kung) uubra ang parliamentary form dito sa ating bansa. Ito ang pinakamalapit na eksperimento sa parliamentary form upang sa gayon makita natin, angkop ba talaga, bagay rin ba iyan hindi lamang sa BARMM pero marahil sa ibang parte or sa buong Pilipinas makalipas ang ilang dekada pa siguro para sa buong bansa (This will be a good opportunity to see if the parliamentary form of government can be adopted in the country. This [BARMM elections] will be the closest experiment for a parliamentary form of government so we can determine if we can adopt it, or if will it be suitable for BARMM only or maybe even in other parts of the country or even the whole country decades from now),” Escudero said in a press conference after BARMM officials paid him a courtesy call.
The Senate leader said the people of BARMM now have a chance to select their leaders.
“Utang ng mga lider ng BARMM ang kanilang puwesto sa tao at hindi sinuman sa nasyonal na pamahalaan… Importante maitatag na natin ang ganitong uri ng accountability at responsibility ng mga opisyal na utang nila ang puwesto nila sa bawat botanteng nagluklok sa kanila sa poder (BARMM leaders will now be indebted to the people and not from anyone in the national government… It is important that we establish this kind of accountability and responsibility among our officials to remind them that they owe each and every voter who chose them),” he said.
The BARMM parliament elections will simultaneously be held with the May 2025 national and local elections. It was supposed to be held on May 2022 but was postponed due to the absence of the Bangsamoro Electoral Code.
Winners in the elections will replace the members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
