The Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) resumes sessions on April 22, 23 and 24 in Cotabato City, nearly a month after its March 29 inauguration.
Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim told MindaNews Sunday that the agenda of the three-day sessions will be “the adoption of internal rules, organization of committees and initial report of those assigned on the different Codes and selected other matters to e presented.”
The BTA is the governing body of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) during the three-year transition period until June 30, 2022, when the first set of elected officials shall have taken over.
April 22 is exactly two months since the BTA members took their oath of office before President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang, 24 days since the inaugural session on March 29 and 55 days since the turnover from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to the BARMM on February 26 at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in the BARMM compound in Cotabato City.
Ebrahim said they are reckoning the 60-day deadline for submission of the transition plan not from February 26 but from March 29.
Republic Act 11054 or the Organic Law creating the BARMM mandates the interim Chief Minister under Section 6 of Article 16, to submit to the BTA “within the first 60 days of the transition period,” a transition plan that shall contain the “proposed organizational plan, as well as, the schedule for implementation therefor.”
The law also provides that the BTA, by a majority vote of all its members, shall “approve or otherwise act on the proposed transition plan within ten days upon submission;” that if the transition plan is not acted upon within 60 days, it shall be deemed approved and implemented within 15 days.
If reckoned from March 29, as Murad said it would be, the 60-day deadline for submission of the transition plan would be on May 28.
Within this period, Ramadan, the month-long fasting among Muslims, is expected to begin on May 6. But Murad told MindaNews, “Kahit Ramadan, pwede naman mag-session” (We can still have sessions during Ramadan). (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)
