Escudero urges Marcos to appoint new BTA members as 35 file for BARMM polls

Senate President Francis Escudero asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to appoint new members to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) after 35 of its current members filed their candidacies for the 2025 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections.

With 80 seats up for grabs in BARMM, 35 out of the 40 sitting BTA members submitted their certificates of candidacy to the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Escudero said those running for office should be considered resigned to ensure impartial governance and a fair election process.

“Fairness dictates that officials running for office should be deemed resigned. It cannot be allowed that a candidate remains in position because our promise is to maintain a level playing field and keep elections clean. Fairness and avoidance of conflict of interest dictate nothing less,” said Escudero.

Currently, the Bangsamoro Electoral Code allows appointed officials in BARMM who run for office to stay in their positions, and it also waives the typical one-year ban on appointing officials who lose in the election to other posts.

Escudero, however, called these provisions unconstitutional, citing the Constitution’s restrictions on civil service officials’ involvement in partisan political activities.

“The Constitution expressly prohibits civil service officials—whether permanent or appointed on a co-terminus basis—from participating in partisan political activities,” he argued.

The Senate President added that any clause in the Electoral Code that permits otherwise is “void from the beginning” due to its contradiction with the Constitution and the Omnibus Election Code.

Escudero emphasized that the resignation of BTA members pursuing elective posts would be a critical step toward ensuring “clean, honest, and credible elections” in BARMM.

He also introduced Senate Bill No. 2862, which seeks to move the BARMM election to May 2026, following a Supreme Court ruling that removed Sulu province from the BARMM region. A similar bill has been filed in the House by Speaker Martin Romualdez.

While the election timeline remains under legislative review, Escudero assured that the current election preparations by the Comelec would not be affected.

He expressed optimism that the President will appoint new BTA members soon to maintain governance continuity and prevent potential political bias in decision-making in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections.