Comelec Names 8 BARMM Sectoral Representatives

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) announced on Wednesday, Sept. 16, the winning political parties and sectoral representatives in the first parliamentary elections of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), completing the allocation of seats for the new 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament.

Four political parties obtained seats in the 40-member party-representation component after meeting the 2.5-percent vote threshold required for the party race.

The Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP) was allocated 16 seats, followed by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) with 15, the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition (BGC) with eight and the Bangsamoro Peoples’ (Raayat) Democratic Party with one.

The BFP representatives are Suaib Oranon, Abdulwahid Halil, Akmad Brahim, Dan Asnawie, Abunawas Maslamama, Johari Abu, Camid Gandamra Jr., Karwin Hamjani, Kitem Kadatuan Jr., Michael Midtimbang, Suraija Reina Hataman, Ma-arouph Candao, Alindatu Pagayao, Zulfícar-Ali Bayam, Jaafar Apollo Mikhail Matalam and Junalyn Sumlay.

UBJP’s 15 representatives are Ahod Ebrahim, Datucan Abas, Ali Solaiman, Eduard Guerra, Ali Ibrahim, Said Salendab, Mohammad Yacob, Amir Balindong, John Anthony Lim, Haber Asarul, Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba, Nordjiana Dipatuan-Ducol, Raissa Jajurie, Said Shiek and Ali Salik.

The BGC representatives are Mamintal Raki-in Adiong III, Amer Zaakaria Adiong Rakim, Abdulrahman Rubbil Mangudadatu, Datu Bimbo Sinsuat, Hanie Ain Bud, Abdel Razi Amin, Sittie Aisah Pansar and Amilbahar Mawallil.

Jose Lorena is the lone representative of the Raayat Democratic Party.

Eight additional seats are reserved for sectoral representatives in the 80-member parliament. Two seats each are allotted to the settler community and non-Moro indigenous peoples, while one seat each is designated for women, youth, ulama or Islamic scholars and traditional leaders.

Yul Adelfo Olaya and Mary Ann Arnado will represent the settler community, while Aida Silongan will represent the women’s sector.

Sulffy Abbas was named the youth representative, Muhammad Nadzir Ebil the ulama representative and Marjanie Macasalong the representative of traditional leaders.

The non-Moro indigenous peoples sector will have two representatives: Leticio Datuwata of the Lambangian tribe and Jo Genna Jover of the Teduray.

The remaining 32 seats in the parliament are for district representatives.

The Sept. 14 parliamentary elections recorded a voter turnout of 84.34 percent, surpassing the Comelec’s earlier projection of 80 percent.

The first parliamentary elections form part of the transition to the BARMM’s parliamentary system, with the newly proclaimed representatives set to form the region’s first parliament.

Election violence

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is stepping up its probe and case build-up against the perpetrators of the string of violence during the first BARMM parliamentary elections.

PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said on Wednesday they have obtained good leads in the identities of the perpetrators of about 16 election-related violent incidents.

At least three people died and 20 others, including three police officers, were wounded in shootings and other forms of violence such as explosions, commotions and firefights.

Shooting incidents occurred in Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur and Cotabato City on the day of the elections.

Nartatez said part of the probe is to determine whether there are politicians who orchestrated the attacks.

Despite the spate of violence, Nartatez said the conduct of the parliamentary elections was generally peaceful compared with past elections in BARMM where there were 50 to 60 election-related incidents.

Meanwhile, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) urged the Comelec to conduct transparent investigations into other election-related issues, including reports of pre-shaded or tainted ballots, delayed precinct openings, ballot interference and other reported irregularities. – With John Felix Unson, Emmanuel Tupas, Janvic Mateo