Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad Ali “Bruce” Matabalao called on the incoming members of the Bangsamoro Parliament to look beyond their own parties’ priority legislation and pass laws that promote broad development, progress, and advancement for the entire Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The Cotabato mayor said the new parliament’s democratic mandate gives it both the authority and the responsibility to govern for all, not just for its political base.
Matabalao made the call in a live interview relayed through DZRH correspondent Jun Dimatulac on DZRH News program The Situation Report on September 14, addressing both the elected officials and the public as BARMM election day wound down.
He said the defining difference between the incoming elected parliament and the appointed Bangsamoro Transition Authority is the clarity and legitimacy of its mandate—and with that mandate comes a higher standard of accountability.
“Ang pinakamalaking bagay dito sa mga Members of Parliament, klaro ang mandato na nanggaling sa tao. Dito sa mga bagong opisyal ng Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the confidence level will be different. Alam natin na makakapagsilbi na sila nang maayos dahil ang mandato nila ay klaro at ang damdamin ng tao ay naroon,” Matabalao said.
Matabalao said the new parliament must channel that mandate toward legislation that goes beyond party platforms and special interest provisions.
“Sana hindi lamang ‘yung mga nakasaad sa mga priority bills ang maisapasa, kundi mga batas na para sa pangkalahatan na nakakapagdulot ng development, progreso, at pag-asenso sa buong rehiyon,” the Cotabato mayor said.
He also called on the new parliament and the new elected government to uphold justice for the victims of election day violence, saying accountability for what happened must be one of the first tasks the new officials address.
Matabalao closed with a message to both the Filipino and international communities watching the BARMM’s historic first election, expressing confidence that the violence they witnessed does not define the region, and that the Bangsamoro’s democratic future is one worth believing in.
“Ang nangyaring karahasan kanina na may kaugnayan sa eleksyon ay hindi po araw-araw na nangyayari sa Cotabato. Umasa po kayo na paliligpitin natin ang mga ilegalidad at karahasan sa tulong ng ating kapulisan,” Matabalao said.
