ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 12 April)— Let us get straight to the point—there is a noticeable absence of Sama participation in the leadership of BARMM. The Sinama-speaking population in BARMM is approximately 554,407, which is roughly 12.57% of the region’s population.
If we use this percentage to calculate Sama participation in the regional leadership, there should have been at least 10 Sama members out of the 88-seat Bangsamoro Transition Authority, and three to four Sama heads of office out of the 28 regional ministries, commissions, and similar offices. However, the excuse given for the lack of Sama representation is simply that it is not how the law is organized.[]
The absence of Sama representation in the 80-seat BTA and 28 Cabinet offices is alarming. It seems that Sama exclusion has become a political trend. The membership in the Council of Elders is now being posted and it seems this exclusion trend will continue, which raises questions about whether the Sama people are not aggressive or political enough, or whether they must wrestle to gain power.
This situation is Machiavellian, and it goes beyond ethnicity.[]