BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo steps down

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – The interior minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) stepped down on Thursday morning, December 7, after Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim accepted his courtesy resignation.

BARMM Interior Minister Naguib Sinarimbo has been replaced by Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Floor Leader Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba.

Alba’s appointment document, dated December 7, showed that she was designated as BARMM interior minister for one year.

Sinarimbo is among the 15 BARMM ministers who submitted courtesy resignations, a move supposedly aimed at facilitating Ebrahim’s efforts to reorganize the regional government’s bureaucracy.

He bid farewell to the employees of the BARMM Ministry of Interior and Local Governance (MILG) on Thursday morning.

The decision to replace Sinarimbo came as a surprise, considering he is among the top-performing ministers and one of the most vocal figures in the regional government. His replacement has sparked speculations, suggesting that the move may have political undertones.

Mohd Asnin Pendatun, who tendered his resignation as BARMM cabinet secretary, confirmed the resignations on Thursday, December 7.

Pendatun said the move was in line with Murad’s December 1 Memorandum Circular No. 189, which called for courtesy resignations “to give a free hand to the Chief Minister to reorganize his cabinet and improve their service delivery.”

BARMM Senior Minister Abunawas “Von Al Haq” Maslamama confirmed that he was one of those who submitted resignation letters before the December 5 deadline.

“Regardless of the outcome, we will accept it,” Maslamama said.

Pendatun said the BARMM is likely to see a new set of ministers and heads of offices next week.

He said Murad had also asked his ministers to submit courtesy resignations two years ago, but that directive had only applied to members of the region’s cabinet. – Rappler.com