ZAMBOANGA CITY – Muslims in southern Philippines are backing the governor of Sulu province, Sakur Tan, as the next chief minister of the Bangsamoro autonomous region, largely run by former rebels, ahead of the 2025 midterm polls.

This was confirmed by Amir Mawallil, a member of the regional parliament and spokesman for the BARMM Grand Coalition, saying "the Bangsamoro people are backing Tan because they want peace and progress in the region that will benefit not only the Muslims but even the Christians and Indigenous communities."

"And we welcome this great development for the future of the Bangsamoro (region) and its people. It's time to change and change is coming for good, for everyone aspiring for peace in Mindanao, in the country," he added.

Tan is the chairman of the Salaam Party endorsed by BARMM Grand Coalition composed of the Bangsamoro People Party, the Al Ittihad-UKB Party and the Serbisyong Inklusibo Alyansang Progresibo Party, to run against Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, chieftain of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which signed a peace deal with Manila in 2014.

Tan thanked the officials and members of the coalition, saying that he appreciated the confidence granted to him by the members of the BARMM local governments.

The grand coalition — which Salaam Party is also part of — was formed earlier this year when leaders of the four major political parties in BARMM met and agreed to form an alliance that would push the principles of peace and unity.

Mawallil said, through public consultations with stakeholders and constituents, the grand coalition has become a regionwide alliance where the Salaam Party along with the Al-Ittihad Party led by former Sultan Kudarat governor Suharto Mangudadatu and Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu; the Bangsamoro Peoples Party led by Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman; and the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo Party led by Lanao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong.

Tan also reiterated his calls for peace and unity, and progress in the BARMM and thanked those supporting him and the aspirations of the grand coalition.

Together, he said, the grand coalition is committed to working with the national government in pursuing policies and programs needed to protect the peace that the Bangsamoro people have won in the region, starting with the full implementation of all signed peace agreements, including the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Nur Misuari who signed a peace accord with the government in 1996.

Tan said the grand coalition has committed to allocate funds from the BARMM Special Development Fund and Block Grant to support and expedite the normalization process for former combatants of both the MNLF and MILF.

"The most important thing is to assure that our former combatants can feel the fruits of their struggle with the support of the regional and national governments, as their quality of life improves along with the enjoyment of just and lasting peace in the region. This is only possible through collaborative governance that encourages a multiparty, multi-sectoral approach to leadership, and the BGC is more than ready to lead the way," he said.