COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 27 April) — Lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, former Local Governments Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Cotabato City Vice Mayor Joharie “Butch” Abu, have joined the Serbisyong Inklusibo – Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), a regional party founded in Lanao del Sur by Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr.
Sinarimbo and Abu were former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s political party – the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) headed by MILF chair and interim Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim. They are taking their oath as SIAP members during a mass oathtaking rites in Barangay Kalanganan II here on Saturday, April 27.
Sinarimbo was among those who crafted the UBJP’s platform, principles and policies and was among those who worked for its registration with the Commission on Elections in 2014. Sinarimbo served as Executive Secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao for two years from 2009 to 2011. He served as BARMM’s Local Governments Minister from 2019 until December last year.
Abu served as Cotabato City councilor and is the incumbent Vice Mayor. His father, Ghazali Jaafar, was the MILF Vice Chair for Political Affairs who was appointed chair of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission in 2017 and first Speaker of the interim Bangsamoro Parliament for a few weeks until his death in March 2019.
Sinarimbo is now President of the SIAP in Cotabato City.
“After serious contemplation and thoughtful consideration, I have decided to shift to a new political party, the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) Party,” Abu said in a press statement on Saturday.
Abu said that the outpouring call, constant prodding, and relentless encouragement from his supporters, relatives, and kin convinced him to seek a higher position – the mayoralty in 2025 against incumbent mayor Bruce Matabalao of the UBPJ.
“It further fueled my determination to make a lasting impact on our community and deliver the best possible services to our fellow Cotabateños and the Bangsamorо,” he said.
He thanked the UBJP for the “guidance, coupled with opportunities.”
“I am forever grateful for the experience and growth that UBJP has given me in my political career,” he said.
The mass oath-taking will be for new members of Cotabato City and the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
SIAP is a member of the newly-established coalition of BARMM political parties, along with the Bangsamoro People’s Party (BPP) of former ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, the Al Ittihad-UKB Party of incumbent Governor Bai Mariam Mangudadatu and husband Teng Mangudadatu, the former Governor of Sultan Kudarat province who is now Director-General of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority. Sulu Governor Sakur Tan is also allied with this coalition.
The first election of the BARMM’s 80-member Parliament will be held in May 2025. The elected officers will take over from the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority, at the end what would be a six-year transition period, on 30 June 2025. (Ferdinand Cabrera / MindaNews)
