THE Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm) announced that its 5,700 employees in the Province of Sulu will continue receiving their salaries for 2024, pending the completion of required documentation, despite the recent Supreme Court (SC) decision severing the province from Barmm.
The SC ruled on September 9, 2024, that the Province of Sulu be severed from Barmm as a result of the 2019 plebiscite, where the province cast 54 percent negative votes, equivalent to its non-inclusion in the autonomous region.
“We received the official copy of the Supreme Court decision on September 16, which, in effect, sets the cut-off as to the appreciation of such ruling,” Barmm Cabinet Secretary and Spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun said in a statement on Friday, September 20, 2024.
Under Section 18 Article X of the 1987 Constitution, only provinces, cities, and geographic areas voting favorably in a plebiscite, creating an autonomous region, shall be included in such a region.
“We are looking into the general welfare of the Bangsamoro people in Sulu, leading to our recommendations that are mutually beneficial to all concerned,” Pendatun added.
He said the permanent personnel will receive their salary ‘as usual’, covering September 1 to 15 of the current fiscal year.
However, he said starting September 16 onward, both permanent and contract of service personnel (COSP) are required to comply with the signing of the document of undertaking, stating that in the event of disallowance, the received salary shall be returned to the government.
Pendatun further noted that the contracts of the COSP need to be binding specifically with the ‘regional’ government.
Regarding unfilled positions, they will remain vacated unless otherwise ordered, he said. (SunStar Zamboanga)