MANILA, Philippines — A petition for indirect contempt has been filed before the Supreme Court against several members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament over the alleged failure to comply with a High Court directive on parliamentary redistricting in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The petitioner, Zaoawi A. Buludan, formally lodged the Petition for Indirect Contempt under Rule 71 of the Rules of Court on January 5, 2026. The filing also includes an Extremely Urgent Motion to Conduct a Special Raffle, seeking the immediate attention of the Court.
In his petition, Buludan claims that the respondents—identified as certain members of the BTA Parliament, including officials of its Committee on Local Government—have willfully failed to implement the Supreme Court’s decision dated October 6, 2025. The ruling ordered the passage of a valid and constitutional Bangsamoro parliamentary redistricting law.
According to the petition, despite the clear directive from the High Court, the BTA Parliament had not enacted any redistricting law by the end of 2025. Buludan argues that this continued inaction constitutes defiance of judicial authority and undermines constitutional governance in the autonomous region.
The petition further states that the absence of a redistricting law compliant with Supreme Court standards affects democratic representation, electoral processes, and public trust in Bangsamoro autonomous institutions. Buludan maintains that autonomy does not place the Bangsamoro government beyond the reach of the Constitution or the authority of the Supreme Court.
Among the reliefs sought, the petitioner asked the High Court to declare the respondents guilty of indirect contempt and to order the immediate passage of a redistricting law that fully and faithfully complies with the October 2025 decision.
“This case is not about politics, personalities, or power,” the petition read. “It is about adherence to the rule of law and respect for the authority of the judiciary.”
The petition was filed in Manila and is currently awaiting further action from the Supreme Court, including the issuance of an official docket number following its electronic filing in January 2026.