BARMM holds Grand Coalition assembly

MALUSO, Basilan — A mammoth crowd marked the launching of the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) assembly in this province on Sunday, with top political leaders of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in attendance.

The BGC Assembly, held at the Maluso Gymnasium across the Maluso municipal hall turned the occasion into a colorful fiesta with visitors from all over the BARMM region

Key political leaders from the provinces of Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindnao del Norte, Sulu and Tawi Tawi were in full force during the launching.

The crowd was estimated at over 60,000.

The BARMM Grand Coalition is a region-wide alliance of four major political parties: the Salaam party led by Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, and the Al-Ittihad party led by TESDA Secretary Suharto Mangudadatu and Maguindanao del Sur Governor Bai Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu; the Bangsamoro People’s Party led by Basilan lone Rep. Mujiv Hataman; and the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo party led by Lanao del Sur Governor Datu Mamintal “Bombit” Alonto Adiong Jr.

The grand BGC assembly gathered members in the six provinces and communities to support the coalition’s principles and ideals.

The two-component cities of Basilan province — Isabela and Lamitan City along with the 11 towns of the province trooped to this town for the assembly.

The Government commercial wharf of Isabela City and Lamitan City were full of ferry boats loaded with passengers on Sunday coming from the six provinces that comprise BARMM.

“We are organizing and mobilizing our grassroots and political machinery on the ground. Everyone who believes in the ideals of BGC inclusive of governance and development, peace and unity, and the full implementation of the peace agreement, is welcome to join us,” a senior and key leader of the coalition said.

All of the speakers during the assembly were endorsing and supporting Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan to be the next Chief Minister of the BARMM Parliament.