The Bangsamoro Parliament In Focus

Measure to create a DpWH district eng’ng office in BARMM pushed

COTABATO CITY – A committee report for a proposed resolution supporting the call of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to create and organize a district engineering office of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in the Bangsamoro region was approved by the Public Works Committee of the Bangsamoro Parliament on Wednesday, April 12.

The Committee has determined that it is necessary to expediteinfrastructureprojects, especially therepairs and maintenance of the national road, bridges, and highways in BARMM.

It also adopted Resolutions Nos. 99 and 84, which together urge the DPWH to give the national highways and bridges top priority for repairs, reconstruction,rehabilitation,improvement, and maintenance.

CPW Chair Hussein Muñoz said that the committee will present its report when the second regular session begins. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division) dential appointment as member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament.

He said the huge assembly in Gambar of residents of Maguindanao Norte, as well as officials and MILF members undergoing the process of normalization, manifested a consensus of acceptance of his appointment, through the organizations process of consultative leadership.

SC,finalarbiter

But he said: “If the Supreme Court says that I am not supposed to be here, I will voluntarily step down, No problem. But it’s not good to malign; it’s not good to belittle the President,” Macacuasaid.

Let us not belittle the President. Because as the head of state, he is currently attending to bigger problems including crucial matters of foreign relations involving China and the U.S., Macacua said, apparently referring to current issues surrounding the EDCA or

Enhanced DefenseCooperation Agreement.

Macacua said if he had to reach out on bended knees for unity, he will do that without hesitation to politicians, including members of the Provincial Board, voted to office in the undivided Maguindanao in May 2022.

Peace process, not ‘payback’

He also rejected suggestions that his appointment was a “payback to the Moro Muslims” for records of martial law atrocities often associated with President’s namesake father’s second term as the Philippine President in the 1970’s.

Instead, Macacua attributed his presidential appointment to a “peace process at work,” saying “we have followed the political track record of the Marcoses, showing they are not vindictive.”

Macacua also said he could not agree with a Manila lawyer’s contention that the Chief Executive was only giving the MILF “the benefit of the doubt,” because President knew that “the Mangudadatus and the Sinsuats will win anyway in the May 2025 elections.”

He said even the Commission on Elections (Comelec) which has the power to say who the winning candidates are, cannot foretell who will win in polls.

Priority

He said his office team will first evaluate the status of the employees; fill in vacant positions in accordance with Civil Service Rules, assuring further that CS laws will be strictly followed in the process of selection and appointments. Macacua said his authority to appoint and to sign on funds disbursement documents emanates from the power of appointment of the highest official, “the President, who was voted to office by 31 million Filipinos and is now everyone’s President.”

State forces unearth high-powered guns in Lanao Sur

MARAWI CITY – Combined Army and Police forces unearthed on April 6 two high-powered firearms with ammunition buried in a village in Amai Manibilang, Lanao del Sur, according to the military’s Western MindanaoCommand (WMC).

In a press statement on April 9, the WMC public affairs office said one 50 caliber Sniper rifle, one M14 rifle, one fully loaded magazine for 7.62mm, and a loaded magazine for cal. 50mm were discovered at Sitio Lusong of Barangay Ranao-Raning by elements of the 5th Infantry Battalion and the Lanao del Sur Provincial Police Officeconducting alaw enforcement operation.

According to Maj. Gen. Anrtonio Nafarrete, Commander of Joint Task Force ZamPeLan, who has jurisdiction of the Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao Provinces, the deadly stuffs were owned and buried by Saidamen Baratomo, alsoknown asLomala.

All recovered war materials were turned over to the AFP intelligence unit in the area for documentation and proper disposition, the WMC statementsaid.

Public consultation set on April 17 for a proposed law to establish BARMM capital in Parang, Maguindanao

Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, WMC commander, has expressed elation over the discovery he deemed as part of a continuing drive of government forces to ensure stable security in areas covered by his command.

“Together with our partners from other agencies, we will continue to go after individuals and groups considered (as) menaces of society. We will focus more on promoting internal security in our joint area of operations, and we expect more positive outcomes,” Gen. Galido was quoted as saying.

Observers believed the discovered high-powered firearms could be part of war materials used by at least 10 armed men suspected to staging an ambush along the highway between Maguing and Amai Manabilang towns that injured Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto-Adiong Jr and his driver, and left three of escorts killed on Feb. 17.

Last March 10, police troops arrested three suspects in the ambush. They were named as Palawan Salem Macalbo, Nagac Dimatangkil Baratomo and Aminoden Dimatingkal Mandoc.

ALI G. MACABALANG

COTABATO CITY

A public consultation for BTA Bill No. 43, which seeks to create the administrative capital of the Bangsamoro Government in Parang, Maguindanao, is set to be held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in the Bangsamoro Government Center here on April 17, 2023 at 8:00 AM, the BTA Media Division announced on Wednesday. According to COR Chair Atty. Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba, a public consultation on BTA Bill No. 43, which would move the administrative center of the Bangsamoro Government to Parang, Maguindanao, is scheduled for April 17. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)

BARMM buffer fund moved in the BTA Parliament

THE BANGSAMORO Parliament’s Finance, Budget, and Management Committee deliberated on Parliament Bill No. 41, also known as the BARMM Buffer Fund Act of 2022.

The Parliament Bill No. 41, filed by the Government of the Day, proposes allocating a P500 million buffer fund to ensure timely salary payments to nationally funded workers supervised by BARMM ministries or offices.The buffer fund will also be used to compensate for any delays in the transfer or download of funds for the payment of salaries and other benefits to affected employees.According to the reports, the Ministry of Social Services and Development and the Ministry of Health both had 1,769 and 1,956 affected employees under nationally funded programs,respectively.

Another meeting will be held to further discuss the proposed measure. (LTAIS-Public Information, Publication, and Media Relations Division)