Bangsamoro Parliament Election Set to Become a Power Struggle Between the MILF’s Party and a Marcos-Aligned Party

With the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region’s first parliamentary election now just days away, on September 14, some 2.4 million voters will choose 80 members of parliament. The central axis of confrontation is between the MILF’s party, the UBJP, and the Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP), which is closely aligned with the Marcos administration’s Federal Party.

It is said that nearly 90 percent of voters within the BARMM are Muslim.

Interim Chief Minister Macacua, whom President Marcos appointed last year in place of MILF Chairman Ahod Ebrahim, became chairman of the BFP on August 15. The MILF Central Committee objected to this move and has since removed Macacua from his positions within the MILF.

The election will decide not only the democratization of the autonomous government, but also whether the MILF, which has led the peace process, or the central government and local political dynasties come to control the new government. Delays in disarmament and the dismantling of private armed groups will also affect the security of the election.