COTABATO CITY (October 3) — Lawyer Pangalian Balindong, speaker of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament, passed away early Thursday at a hospital in Makati City. He was 85.
Balindong, who had served as parliament speaker since the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019, was considered one of the most senior Moro leaders in government. The BTA, which he presided over, is the 80-member provisional legislature guiding the region’s transition to full autonomy.
BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua led the outpouring of grief, describing Balindong as more than a leader. “He was a guiding light whose wisdom, humility, and dedication touched the lives of many. His legacy of service to the Bangsamoro will live on in our hearts,” Macacua said.
Flags in BARMM government offices were ordered flown at half-mast to honor his service to the Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination.
BTA parliament member Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod likewise hailed Balindong as a “pillar” of the regional legislature. “Speaker Balindong was not only a pillar of the BTA but also a true Moro leader whose wisdom, dedication, and lifelong service paved the way for the realization of the Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination,” she said.
Balindong was buried in his hometown in Lanao del Sur in accordance with Islamic rites.
