ZAMBOANGA CITY(October 20) — A Bangsamoro civic coalition has backed Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua’s call to protect regional autonomy following the formation of a 46-member parliamentary majority, stressing that the Bangsamoro Parliament must choose its leadership without outside interference.
The statement comes as political alliances consolidate their positions ahead of the formation of the first regular Bangsamoro government, putting the Parliament’s authority—and the national government’s commitment to respect it—at the center of the region’s leadership transition.
The Bangsamoro Initiative for Peace, Progress and Solidarity (BIPPS) welcomed the majority coalition, which brings together the Bangsamoro Federal Party (BFP), Bangsamoro Green Party (BGC), United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), National Mujahideen in Politics (NMIP), Social Justice for All Party (SIAP), Raayat and pro-Bangsamoro groupings.
The 46-member alliance gives its participating parties a broad parliamentary bloc as political forces position themselves to shape the incoming government. BIPPS described the coalition as an opportunity to accommodate diverse political interests and promote stability during the transition.
But the group stressed that the real test of regional autonomy is whether political decisions are made through the institutions and procedures established under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), rather than through pressure from outside the region’s parliamentary process.
BIPPS said the Bangsamoro Parliament must be allowed to organize its leadership and operational structures through lawful procedures, without undue external interference.
The group also commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for affirming the national government’s respect for Bangsamoro autonomy and recognizing the Parliament’s authority to select its leadership under the law.
The statement reinforces Macacua’s position at a sensitive point in the political transition, when the emerging parliamentary majority could influence the distribution of leadership positions and the direction of the incoming regional administration.
For BIPPS, autonomy is not merely a legal principle but a commitment to self-government rooted in the region’s long peace process. It urged political leaders, public institutions and civil society stakeholders to respect parliamentary decisions and avoid actions that could undermine regional self-rule.
The organization describes itself as a nonprofit civic coalition representing grassroots sectors, including Islamic scholars, agricultural workers, Indigenous peoples, civil society groups and local communities.
It also called on political factions to resolve disputes through lawful and constructive engagement rather than allow partisan competition to disrupt the transition to regular governance.
The critical question is whether the emerging parliamentary majority can exercise its mandate without undue interference—and whether national and regional leaders will respect the outcome. BIPPS has called for adherence to the law, but the credibility of the transition will ultimately depend on how political leaders act: whether Parliament’s authority is respected in practice and whether the formation of the new government proceeds through the procedures established under the BOL.
