Cotabato City, Philippines — Former Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo has officially filed his candidacy to represent Cotabato City’s 2nd District in the upcoming 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections. Sinarimbo, running under the BARMM Grand Coalition-Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo (BGC-SIAP) slate, submitted his certificate of candidacy (COC) on November 7, alongside Member of Parliament Romeo Sema, who is aiming to represent the city’s 1st District.
The event took place at the local Commission on Elections office, gathering support from local leaders, including Vice Mayor Butch Abu, Barangay Captain Bimbo Ayunan, and various SIAP chapter members from across Cotabato City.
Sinarimbo and Sema emphasized a vision of unified and steady progress for Cotabato City. “Our city needs a clear direction for progress,” said Sinarimbo. “Policies for all projects must be strong and consistent to achieve unified development, not only within our city but in neighboring areas as well.”
The candidates noted that their tandem brings a strategic alignment for both districts in Cotabato City, which they believe will create new opportunities for the region. This 2025 BARMM election will be the first parliamentary election in the region’s history, following the establishment of BARMM.
This development comes almost a year after Sinarimbo’s resignation from his role as BARMM interior minister on December 7, 2023. His departure from the regional government marked the beginning of his political journey with SIAP, the political group linked to the Adiong family from Lanao del Sur. In April, Sinarimbo expressed confidence in the coalition’s platform, asserting that its candidates had a deeper understanding of regional issues than the current BARMM administration.
Sinarimbo is set to face both independent candidate Dick Datumanong and an expected contender backed by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). On November 6, UBJP’s candidate, former Commission on Elections chairman Sheriff Abas, also filed his COC for the 1st District, intensifying the race in Cotabato City.
Sema, SIAP’s adopted independent candidate, echoed Sinarimbo’s hopes for peaceful elections. “We are grateful for the trust and support of the SIAP leadership and the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition. We pray for a peaceful and successful first Bangsamoro election in 2025,” he stated.
This historic election promises to reshape the political landscape in BARMM, highlighting the contesting visions for the region’s future as both SIAP and UBJP prepare for a highly anticipated race.
