Bangsamoro Transition Commission Explained

Bangsamoro Transition Commission should not be confused with Bangsamoro Transition Authority.

Bangsamoro Transition Commission
Abbreviation:BTC
Formation:December 17, 2013
Dissolved:February 22, 2019
Location:Cotabato City, Philippines
Leader Title:Chairman
Leader Name:Mohagher Iqbal (2014–2018)
Ghazali Jaafar (2018–2019)
Website:http://www.bangsamoroonline.com/

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) was a government body which was tasked to aid in creating the draft of the Bangsamoro Organic Law as well as the transition body in the areas to form the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region until the constitution of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and formal creation of the autonomous region.

Background

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission is a government body created on December 17, 2013 by the virtue of Executive Order 120 signed by President Benigno Aquino III. The commission is tasked to come up with a draft on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which would serve as the basis of a new Bangsamoro political entity, in accordance to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro. Under the executive order, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission was to be disestablished upon the enactment of a Bangsamoro Basic Law.[1] The Bangsamoro Basic Law failed to pass during the Aquino administration.

Under Aquino's successor, President Rodrigo Duterte amended Executive Order 120 issued by his predecessor through Executive Order No. 8 in 2016 which includes increasing the membership of the BTC.[2]

The BBL was later passed into law as the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) in 2018 and was ratified through a plebiscite on January 21, 2019. The BTC was to be disestablished upon ratification according to relevant executive orders but continued as a transition body of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region by the virtue of Section 5 of Article XVI of the BOL until the constitution of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.[3]

Composition

Under the second Aquino administration

The former commission under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III is composed of 15 members. 8 members including the chairman where chosen by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front while 7 members where chosen by the government.[1] [4] The composition seeks to represent the Christian, Muslim and Indigenous People (IP) communities.

Under the Duterte administration

Pre-BOL ratification

The current composition under President Rodrigo Duterte is composed of 21 members, with an additional 6 more members from 15 in the past administration.[5] It is composed of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with 11 members and 3 members from the Moro National Liberation Front – Sema Group.[6] [7] There are also representatives from the Christian and Indigenous People (IP) communities.

* Samira Gutoc-Tomawis resigned from her post during Marawi siege.[8] [9]

Post-BOL ratification

As per Section 5 of Article XVI of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), a caretaker body is to aid the transition process of the ARMM to the BARMM consisting of members of the BTC and the 25 elected members of the ARMM consisting of the incumbent Regional Governor, Vice Governor and 23 members of the Regional Legislative Assembly at the ratification of the BOL. This body will exist until the formation of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), which will consist of 80 presidential nominees and (until the expiration of their terms on June 30, 2019), the 25 elected officials of the former ARMM.[3] [10]

The BTC served as caretaker of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region upon the region's nominal establishment.[11] The BTA was constituted on February 22, 2019 with the oath taking of its members effectively abolishing the commission.

Now technically defunct, the BTC made a turnover its interim administration of the Bangsamoro region to the Bangsamoro Transition Authority on February 26, 2019.[11]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aquino signs EO on Bangsamoro Transition Commission; talks reach 'impasse'. December 17, 2012.
  2. Web site: Executive Order No. 8 s. 2016 . January 26, 2019.
  3. News: Arguilas . Carolyn . Bangsamoro law ratified; how soon can transition from ARMM to BARMM begin? . January 26, 2019 . MindaNews.
  4. Web site: The Bangsamoro Transition Commission | Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) . March 17, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140317135149/http://www.opapp.gov.ph/resources/bangsamoro-transition-commission . March 17, 2014 . dead .
  5. News: Duterte signs EO reconstituting Bangsamoro Transition Council. Sabillo. Kristine Angeli. October 7, 2018. en.
  6. News: 21 Bangsamoro Transition Commission members named. Aning. Jerome. October 7, 2018. en.
  7. News: Duterte names new Bangsamoro Transition Council members. Corrales. Nestor. October 7, 2018. en.
  8. News: BTC commissioner resigns over Marawi siege. Gloria. Violeta M.. MindaNews. October 7, 2018. en-US.
  9. News: Bangsamoro commission member quits over Duterte rape joke, Marawi assault. Alconaba. Nico. October 7, 2018. en.
  10. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/iq/221942-explainer-armm-cotabato-city-isabela-city-votes-bangsamoro-plebiscite EXPLAINER: Why ARMM, Cotabato City, Isabela City voted the way they did
  11. News: Punzalan . Noel . BTA to assume ARMM leadership Feb. 26 . February 25, 2019 . Philippine News Agency . February 25, 2019.