Manila, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has affirmed its September 9 ruling that excludes the province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), declaring the decision final and immediately executory.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the SC en banc denied motions for reconsideration filed by the BARMM government, the Office of the Solicitor General, and other parties seeking Sulu’s inclusion in the autonomous region.
“These motions sought to reverse the Court’s decision… The Decision is final and immediately executory. No further pleadings will be entertained,” the SC said.
Finality of the Ruling
The SC’s September decision upheld the constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which created the BARMM, but excluded Sulu after the province rejected the law’s ratification during the 2019 plebiscite. Despite this rejection, Sulu was initially included in BARMM, prompting the provincial government to file a petition challenging the inclusion.
The Bangsamoro Attorney General’s Office submitted two motions in October to overturn the ruling, but these efforts were rejected by the High Court.
Legal and Political Implications
The exclusion of Sulu has significant implications for the governance and structure of the BARMM. The Senate and the House of Representatives have cited the ruling as a basis for filing measures to postpone the first BARMM parliamentary elections, originally scheduled for 2025, to address governance issues within the autonomous region.
Background on the Bangsamoro Organic Law
Enacted in 2018, the BOL established BARMM as a political entity replacing the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It also provided for expanded autonomy and a parliamentary government.
Two plebiscites held in January and February 2019 determined the areas included in BARMM. While the majority of the areas voted in favor, Sulu opposed the law’s ratification, leading to years of contention over its inclusion.