COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/22 October)—The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Parliament is racing the clock on a critical redistricting law for the next election, all while navigating a tense, abrupt leadership reorganization that has exposed deep internal rifts.
Senior Minister Mohammad Yacob, a senior leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), was elected as the new Parliament Speaker on Tuesday, October 21, succeeding the late Pangalian Balindong who passed away on October 2. Yacob ran unopposed, a move seen as a sign of unity for the transition government.
“As speaker, my primary role is to preside over the sessions of the Parliament with fairness, order and discipline. I will ensure that debates are conducted with respect, inclusivity and adherence to rules allowing all members, regardless of appellation, to voice their views. In doing so, we foster an environment where ideas are valued over title and where laws are crafted through rational discourse, not political maneuvering.”, he said in his speech.
Controversy erupts over Floor Leader replacement
However, the session immediately devolved into a heated debate following the unexpected removal of the Floor Leader.
In a swift move, the Parliament voted to declare the Floor Leader position vacant, as motioned by MP Zulficar Bayam and subsequently elected Atty. John Anthony “Jet” Lim to replace Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba. Lim, who is from Tawi-Tawi, immediately took his oath.
The sudden replacement was met with sharp criticism from MP Abdullah Hashim, who called the decision as “unagreed” and “rushed.”
“The issue of replacing the Floor Leader was never discussed [in the caucus],” Hashim asserted in the plenary. “Many will lie before Allah if they claim this was discussed.”
Hashim’s appeal to suspend the motion and allow the new Speaker, Yacob, to first assume his post with dignity—stating, “He hasn’t even taken his oath, and immediately there are already internal movements”—was rejected.
The controversial motion passed with 48 MPs in favor, 21 opposed, and 1 abstaining, illustrating a significant division within the legislative body. The move has led to immediate questions about adherence to parliamentary courtesy and internal processes, with some members viewing it as a “normal internal restructuring” while others express concern over a perceived lack of consultation.
Later, Dumama-Alba was instead elected as a Deputy Speaker, alongside Jose Lorena, while Amer Zaakaria Rakim was named Deputy Floor Leader.
Speaker vows to prioritize crucial election law
Despite the internal discord, the new leadership’s foremost challenge is a legislative mandate with an unforgiving deadline: passing a new redistricting law to pave the way for the region’s first-ever parliamentary elections.
The immediate priority is to replace the void left by BTA Bill 77, which was recently ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Without a valid redistricting law, the next polls, reportedly scheduled for March 2026 after the original October 2025 date was pushed back by a Supreme Court ruling, cannot proceed.
“Since the Bill 77 was ruled by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional, to have a future election, we have to approve a new law. That’s our priority and struggle to make it possible,” Speaker Yacob stated, expressing hope they might still complete the process by the end of October.
New Floor Leader John Anthony Lim has echoed the urgency, vowing to meet immediately with the Secretariat to review the status of the redistricting measure and other priority bills like the labor and employment code.
“Since that is our mandate, we will definitely put it on the agenda,” Lim said, confirming the new leadership’s commitment to swiftly advancing key legislation “that will benefit the entire BARMM, provinces, islands as well as the mainland.” (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)
