MANILA, Philippines — The United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the official political party of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), on Thursday submitted its Sworn List of Authorized Signatories before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in compliance with the regulations set by the poll body for the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
In line with Comelec Resolution No. 11216 promulgated last April 21, the Comelec requires the submission of Sworn List of Authorized Signatories with Specimen Signatures of Regional Parliamentary Political Parties (RPPPs).
The Comelec said that this shall include three specimen signatures, their positions in the RPPP or Coalition in their authority to nominate and sign the Certificate of Nomination and Acceptance of their official candidates. The poll body said that this shall be submitted before its law departments on or before April 30.
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UBJP’s Sworn List of Authorized Signatories consists of Ahod “Al Hajj Murad” Ebrahim, the party president and chairman of MILF; executive vice president Mohagher Iqbal; and vice president Matarul Estino. The document was personally lodged by Ebrahim before the law department.
The Comelec noted that “[f]ailure to submit the Sworn List of Authorized Signatories with Specimen Signatures by the registered RPPP or Coalition within the prescribed period shall result in the declaration of their candidates as independent candidates.”
Upon the filing, Ebrahim said that the upcoming parliamentary elections will be “very historic,” noting that they are committed to complying with all legal requirements to participate in the elections.
“This is connected to a very long historical narrative of the Bangsamoro quest for freedom and self-determination,” Ebrahim said in his statement.
Response on allegations
Last April 20, the Comelec directed the UBJP to submit a verified answer to the petition filed by a certain Sahabudin Panambulan Usop to disqualify its accreditation for the elections. The Comelec has scrapped the accreditation of past-accredited RPPPs and sectoral organizations due to a new electoral code.
READ: Stir created as petition filed to block accreditation of MILF pol party
In his petition, Usop alleged that UBJP repeatedly violated the election gun ban when heavily armed MILF members were seen during its party assemblies. He also claimed that the party received foreign funding, which is prohibited under the Omnibus Election Code.
UBJP spokesperson Mohajirin Ali said that the party already submitted its answer to the petition filed against them. When asked to comment on the allegations, Ali said that speculations should be avoided.
“It’s better to leave it to the Comelec to process it. Avoid speculations so the process on the petition will not be preempted,” Ali told reporters in an interview.
Ali also said that the petition filed against them will not affect their accreditation. He added that they are confident of the result of the resolution on the petition. /cb
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