MILF, UBJP to join political exercises, not BARMM gov't, says Minister Sinarimbo

COTABATO CITY - The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will not participate in the coming 2022 elections but the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will do so.

This was made clear by Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, BARMM interior minister, following a meeting between Pres. Duterte and Muslim political leaders in Malacanang.

Sinarimbo, also speaking for BARMM, said there was no directive from Pres. Duterte for the MILF’s political party, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party  (UBJP) to withdraw from participating in the political exercises next year.

“BARMM as a government body will not be participating in next year’s polls since there’s no election in BARMM,” Sinarimbo told reporters at the sideline of the joint groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of two storey Barangay Hall Building in Pikit, North Cotabato Thursday.

"UBJP, as a political party duly recognized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will and must join," he said.

Sinarimbo said these are other issues discussed during the Malacanang meeting Tuesday night attended by Muslim political leaders coming from different political fronts.

Pres. Duterte, Sinarimbo said, also told local leaders that BARMM will surely be extended until 2025, that the BTA will not participate in the coming elections next year, that the AFP and PNP and the security sectors will remain neutral and he will not allow these security forces to be used by politicians and for local officials to sign a peace covenant for the conduct of peaceful, free and orderly 2022 national and local elections.

“This peace covenant will be signed inside the 6^th Infantry Division headquarters on a date to be finalized yet,” Sinarimbo said.