MANILA, Philippines — The Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (Opapru) on Monday said that the national government will keep its hands off the selection of the next leaders of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Presidential Peace Adviser Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said that the peace agency stands firmly behind President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directives to safeguard regional autonomy and recognize the Bangsamoro people’s right to genuine self-determination.
Sarmiento sought to dispel concerns about potential influence from national authorities during the selection of leaders for the newly elected regional legislature
"We wish to assure the public and all stakeholders that the national government will not intervene in the selection of the regional leadership, as this is a matter strictly internal to the Bangsamoro Parliament," Sarmiento said.
He said the administration will renew its focus on implementing the normalization track of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. This track covers the decommissioning of Moro Islamic Liberation Front combatants and the dismantling of private armed groups.
The government also hopes to advance the peace-building and decommissioning agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front, Sarmiento said.
He stressed that the core foundation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) or Republic Act 11054, remains deeply rooted in meaningful autonomy and self-governance for the Bangsamoro people.
The peace adviser said that regional progress directly impacts national development and broader security objectives.
"A united and thriving BARMM is vital not only to the socioeconomic transformation of Mindanao, but to the sustained economic growth of the entire Philippines," Sarmiento said.
He added that true national stability can only be realized through inclusive growth where no region is left behind and every community shares in the dividends of peace.
"Ultimately, it is the goal of the Marcos administration to leave a lasting legacy of peace, ensuring that the next administration inherits a stable, progressive BARMM and a peaceful Mindanao that will continue to anchor and strengthen the Philippine economy for generations to come," Sarmiento said.
