THOUSANDS of Meranaw people from various sectors in Lanao del Sur have signed a manifesto challenging the constitutionality of Parliament Bill No. 351, or the Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025.
The Real Autonomy Now (RAnow) movement, led by chairman Alim Nasif Marangit, read the manifesto during a peace rally at the Lanao Islamic Paramedical College Foundation on August 26.
The document calls on the Bangsamoro and national governments to address the grievances of affected citizens.
According to the manifesto, the new law allegedly violates the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), and the 1987 Philippine Constitution, citing a lack of genuine consultation and a supposed bias toward certain political interests.
“Parliament Bill 351 (PB 351), deceptively titled the ‘Bangsamoro Parliamentary Redistricting Act of 2025,’ was railroaded and approved by the Bangsamoro Transition Authority on 19 August 2025, without genuine consultation in the 39 affected municipalities,” the manifesto states. It claims this is a “gross violation of constitutional guarantees of due process, transparency, and participatory governance.”
The manifesto further alleges that the law is a “brazen gerrymandering scheme” that serves “dynastic interests.” It claims the bill violates Republic Act No. 11054, which mandates that districts be compact, contiguous and fairly apportioned, by “arbitrary removal of Kapai from its historic Second District and the dislocation of Tubaran, Pualas, and Lumba a Bayabao from their rightful districts.”
The document also asserts that the law introduces “electoral confusion” by disconnecting voters from their rightful districts and “undermining the principle that representatives must be chosen by and remain accountable to their communities.”
Appealing for a veto
Lanao del Sur Board Member Omar Ali Mangondato Sharief appealed to Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua to veto the bill.
“We are optimistic that the chief minister Abdulraof Macacua will veto BTA Bill #351 because he is one of the MILF who have been fighting for self determination,” Sharief said.
He added: “Now, you have the chance to change the course of political destiny of the Bangsamoro people by giving your sacred veto towards the passage of this bill.”
If Macacua does not veto the bill, the group said they would “exhaust all peaceful means” to address the issue.
“We believe in the Philippine Constitution like the Supreme Court. We can go directly to the Supreme Court for us to hear our plea, we all know SC is the final arbiter of all issues in the land,” Sharief said.
Tirmizy Abdullah, a history professor at MSU-Marawi, expressed his concern as a historian.
“I am afraid that the injustices in the past will be repeated. Genuine consultation is a process necessary in Islam, in democracy, and in peace building.,” he said.
According to attorney Yassin Maute, the bill would reconfigure districts in a way that separates municipalities without proper road access. For example, Lumba Bayabao, Amai Manabilang, and Wao would be separated by two mountains with no roads connecting them.
The signatories, including traditional leaders, women, youth, ulama, civil society, and academics, are demanding that the first-ever parliamentary elections on October 13 proceed with 32 districts to “ensure fair and legitimate representation.”
