The speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament () is the presiding officer of the Bangsamoro Parliament, the regional legislature of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) of the Philippines.

The current speaker of the Parliament is Mohammad Yacob, elected on October 21, 2025.

History

Prior to the establishment of the Bangsamoro Parliament on March 29, 2019, Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim named Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leader Ghazali Jaafar as the person he preferred to become the first speaker of the parliament with lawyer and former Lanao del Sur congressman Pangalian Balindong as Jaafar's deputy. However, Jaafar died on March 13, 2019 prior to the first convening of the parliament.

At the start of the inaugural session of the parliament, there were two nominees for the speakership, Balindong and Laisa Alamia, with the former elected by the interim Bangsamoro Parliament as its speaker. Hatimil Hassan was elected as Balindong's deputy speaker. Additional co-deputies were elected by the parliament at later dates.

Pangalian Balindong died on October 2, 2025. An election for his successor was held on October 21, 2025, with Mohammad Yacob, a fellow MILF nominee, being sworn in as the new speaker.

Duties and powers The speaker is the presiding officer of the Bangsamoro Parliament whose role is to secure the honor of the parliament, ensure the rights and privileges of its members, and assure public access to its proceedings. The same presiding role could also be fulfilled by the speaker's deputies.

Furthermore, according to Rule IV, Section 14 of the Rules, Procedures, and Practices of the Parliament, the duties and powers of the speaker include the following: Preside on all plenary sessions of the Parliament, except as hereunder otherwise provided. He/she shall open, conduct, and close each session day Be responsible for the management of the proceedings and conduct of business of the Parliament Maintain proper order and ensure that the right procedures are followed Remain impartial during all debates and if he/she wishes to participate in the debate, he/she shall temporarily relinquish the chair Vote only to break a tie Be responsible over the use of the resources and facilities of the Parliament Conduct regular monthly caucus of all Members of the Parliament or as often as may be necessary to discuss priority measures and to facilitate dialogue, consensus and actions on issues and concerns affecting the Parliament and the performance of its functions Exercise general supervision over all committees and, in furtherance thereof, conduct regular monthly meetings with the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all Statutory and Parliamentary Committees to set legislative targets, review performance in the attainment of targets, ensure that the priority legislative measures of committees are attuned to the legislative agenda of the Parliament and resolve such issues and concerns that affect the operations and performance of the committees Designate a Member of the Parliament as temporary presiding officer after informing the Deputy Speakers; provided, that any such designation shall be effective for one session day only Sign all acts, resolutions, and bills that may be issued by or upon order of the Parliament

The speaker also has administrative supervision over legislative personnel, staff, and secretariat of the Bangsamoro Parliament and is also the appointing authority of all career positions within the parliament. However, the speaker is mandated to consult with the chief minister first for appointments of positions which has a salary grade of 25 and above. The speaker must also present to the chief minister every bill before signing into law, and for him to submit a certified true copy of all laws and resolutions approved by the Parliament to the president and to the national Congress.

Election

The speaker is elected by a majority vote of all members of the Parliament through a standing vote without explanation. Should there be more than two nominees and none received the required majority, a run-off election between the two nominees who obtained the most number of votes is held. Abstentions are not allowed during a run-off election.

The following is a list of elections for Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament:

March 2019 An election for speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament took place on March 29, 2019, at the start of the first interim parliament. Pangalian Balindong received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

+ 2019 election for speakerAffiliationCandidateVotes% MILF Pangalian Balindong Majority National Government Laisa Alamia (?) Total votes 92 100.00

September 2022 An election for speaker took place on September 15, 2022, at the start of the second interim parliament. Pangalian Balindong received a majority of the votes cast and was re-elected speaker.

+ 2022 election for speakerAffiliationCandidateVotes% MILF Pangalian Balindong 79 100.00 Total votes 79 100.00

October 2025 On October 2, 2025, Pangalian Balindong died, leaving the position of the speaker of the Parliament vacant. Consequently, an intra-term election for a new speaker was held on October 21, 2025, during the second interim parliament. Mohammad Yacob received a majority of the votes cast and was elected speaker.

+ 2025 election for speakerAffiliationCandidateVotes% MILF Mohammad Yacob 67 100.00 Total votes 67 100.00

List of speakers No. Portrait Name Term start Term end Party Parliament — Pangalian BalindongMember of the BTA(1940–2025)Interim March 29,2019 October 2,2025 MILF 1st BTA Parliament 2nd BTA Parliament colspan="7" — Mohammad YacobMember of the BTA(born 1970)Interim October 21,2025 Incumbent MILF

Timeline

Deputy Speaker of the Bangsamoro Parliament

The deputy speakers of the Bangsamoro Parliament are the second-highest-ranking officials of the Bangsamoro Parliament.

They have the following duties and responsibilities: Take turns in presiding over the session, when the Speaker does not preside or has not designated any other Member as temporary presiding officer Recommend to the Speaker appropriate policies and programs of action to improve the process of legislation and the quality of legislative measures Act as the Speaker when so designated and in accordance with the designation, in case of the temporary incapacity or absence of the Speaker, until such time that the Speaker returns to office and resumes his/her workIn the event that the Speaker does not make such a designation, the Deputy Speaker most senior in age shall act as the Speaker only for purposes of ensuring the continued operations of the Parliament but shall not perform items (g) and (l) in Section 4 as well as all acts not in the ordinary course of business of the ParliamentThe Deputy Speaker most senior in age shall assume the duties and powers of the Speaker as described in the previous paragraph in case of resignation, removal, death, and permanent incapacity of the Speaker, until such time that a new Speaker has been elected and qualified. He/she shall promptly inform the Chief Minister of the fact of resignation, removal, death, or permanent incapacity Serve as ex officio member to all committees with a right to vote; and Perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned or delegated to him/her from time to time by the Speaker

The incumbent deputy speakers of the Parliament are Nabil Tan, Omar Yasser Sema, Lanang Ali Jr., Don Mustapha Loong, Abdulkarim Misuari, Sha Elijah Dumama-Alba, Laisa Alamia, Amenodin Sumagayan, Suwaib Oranon, Baintan Ampatuan, Ishak Mastura, Adzfar Usman, and Jose Lorena.

Hatimil Hassan initially served as the sole deputy speaker at the start of the first interim parliament, until more deputy speakers were added beginning November 25, 2020, upon the election of Omar Yasser Sema.

List of deputy speakers Portrait Name Term start Term end Party Speaker Parliament Hatimil HassanMember of the BTA(born 1949)Interim March 29,2019 September 15,2022 National Government Pangalian Balindong 1st BTA Parliament Omar Yasser SemaMember of the BTA(born 1972)Interim November 25,2020 September 15,2022 National Government Zia Alonto AdiongMember of the BTA(born 1979)Interim January 19,2021 June 30,2022 National Government Nabil TanMember of the BTA(born 1955)Interim January 19,2021 September 15,2022 National Government Hatimil HassanMember of the BTA(born 1949)Interim September 15,2022 May 21,2025 National Government Pangalian Balindong(until 2025)Mohammad Yacob(from 2025) 2nd BTA Parliament Nabil TanMember of the BTA(born 1955)Interim September 15,2022 Incumbent National Government Omar Yasser SemaMember of the BTA(born 1972)Interim September 15,2022 Incumbent National Government Lanang Ali Jr.Member of the BTA(born 1982)Interim September 15,2022 Incumbent MILF Paisalin TagoMember of the BTA(born 1967)Interim September 15,2022 May 21,2025 National Government Abdulkarim MisuariMember of the BTA(born 1974)Interim September 15,2022 Incumbent National Government Benjamin LoongMember of the BTA(born 1954)Interim September 15,2022 May 21,2025MILF Don Mustapha LoongMember of the BTA(born 1976)Interim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government John Anthony LimMember of the BTA(born 1979)Interim May 21,2025 October 21,2025 National Government Laisa AlamiaMember of the BTA(born 1971/1972)Interim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Amenodin SumagayanMember of the BTA(born 1975)Interim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Suwaib OranonMember of the BTA(born 1953)Interim May 21,2025 Incumbent MILF Baintan AmpatuanMember of the BTAInterim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Ishak MasturaMember of the BTA(born 1971)Interim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Adzfar UsmanMember of the BTAInterim May 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Jose LorenaMember of the BTAInterim October 21,2025 Incumbent National Government Sha Elijah Dumama-AlbaMember of the BTA(born 1981/1982)Interim October 21,2025 Incumbent MILF

See also Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines

Notes

References

Attribution