The fragile peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) is facing significant challenges.

Christian settler communities have cautioned that, in the absence of Senate Bill 1587 to establish a transparent and equitable voting system, the region may revert to systemic exclusion and a “tyranny of the majority.”

In a position paper submitted to the Philippine Senate, settler leaders contend that recent legislative actions by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) constitute not merely technical changes but an existential threat to the political representation of non-Muslims in the region.

The Implications of Revoking Certifications

The controversy focuses on Parliament Bill No. 419, enacted on Jan. 28, which annulled all previously issued sectoral certifications. As a result, more than 260 grassroots settler organizations, which had already overcome significant legal challenges, must restart the process under a more stringent, 15-day non-extendible registration period.

“By a single stroke of the pen, the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has dismissed the hard-won legitimacy of our organizations,” the paper stated. “We are being forced back to the starting line just as the region prepares for its first regular elections.”

From Representation to Erasure

The primary concern is the transition to direct voting for sectoral representatives, replacing the initially proposed “reserved seats” system, which the sectors themselves would have managed.

“Direct voting for our seats effectively turns a minority protection into a popularity contest,” leaders warned. “If we are forced to compete in a region-wide popular vote against a massive majority, the ‘reserved’ nature of our seat becomes an illusion. This is not reform; it is a slide back to the majoritarian ways that fueled conflict for decades.”

Potential Structural, Physical Persecution

For many Christian families and missionaries, the implications extend significantly beyond electoral participation:

• Vulnerability of Missionaries: Without a political voice, missionaries providing vital healthcare fear losing the legal protections necessary to operate in sensitive areas.
• Security Risks: Disenfranchisement may signal to extremist groups that non-Muslims are no longer protected stakeholders, potentially resulting in increased harassment.
• Economic Marginalization: There is deep concern that exclusion from Parliament will lead to settler communities being bypassed in regional development funding and land rights.

Risks to the ‘Dialogue of Life’ Principle

The “Tri-People” approach is the foundation of a peaceful BARMM. By sidelining Christian settlers, the BTA is accused of breaking the promise of an inclusive Bangsamoro. Without the voices of all three groups — Moro, IP, and Settler — the transition risks reverting to the former divides that the peace process was designed to heal.

“We cannot return to the silence of the past,” the community leaders stated. “The Senate must act now to ensure that the Bangsamoro is a home for all, not just a slogan for the few.”