A Bangsamoro parliament member has called on fellow regional lawmakers to support Palestinians in their struggle for statehood amid ongoing repression by Israel.
In a privilege speech delivered on June 19, Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo urged the Bangsamoro Parliament to unite in backing the Palestinian cause. The speech was reported by the regional legislature’s senior information officers on Saturday, June 21.
Sinarimbo, a former local government minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Barmm), emphasized that the United Nations recognized Palestine’s right to statehood decades ago, but Israel continues to oppose its independence through what he described as “brutal repression.”
In a related Facebook post, Sinarimbo noted that the UN partitioned Palestine in 1947 into separate Jewish and Arab states. He also pointed out that many international organizations recognize Palestine as a sovereign state.
“Despite this, Israel has carried out a long-standing campaign of marginalization and repression against the Palestinian people for nearly seventy years,” he said.
Sinarimbo, who was appointed to the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in March 2023, called on lawmakers, religious leaders, and civil society groups in Barmm to raise awareness and support peaceful efforts for Palestinian independence in line with international law and UN policy.
His call has since gained backing from several Muslim and Christian peace advocacy groups across the region.
