Marcos vows proper transition of Sulu from BARMM to Zambo Peninsula

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. assured Tuesday that the government is working to properly transition the province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Zamboanga Peninsula.

In 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that Sulu was not a part of BARMM. Following this order, Marcos declared that Sulu was a part of Zamboanga Peninsula.

"Nais ko pong ipahayag na tinutukan na ng pamahalaan sa maayos na paglipat ng Sulu mula sa BARMM patungo sa Region IX," Marcos said in his speech during the opening of the Sulu Hall of Justice.

(I want to say that the government will ensure the proper transfer of Sulu from BARMM to Region IX.)

"Nais kong tiyakin sa ating mga kababayan sa Sulu na hindi kayo pababayaan ng administrasyong ito. Patuloy tayong magtutulungan upang maging maayos ang transisyon, mapangalagaan ang kapakanan ng ating mga kawani, at higit sa lahat, masiguro na walang serbisyong mapuputol at walang mamamayang maiiwanan," he added.

(I want to assure our citizens in Sulu that this administration will not forget about you. We will help each other with the proper transition, all of the needs of our officials will be taken care of, and most of all, no service will be cut and no citizen will be left behind.)

Respect for rule of law

Marcos led the inauguration of the Sulu Hall of Justice, calling it a step towards conflict resolution, justice and fairness. He said justice must remain accessible to all Filipinos, recognizing the Sulu Hall of Justice as a part of the judicial branch's continuing efforts to improve and modernize its services.

"This occasion is especially meaningful for Sulu. I know that limited facilities have long posed challenges to the delivery of judicial services in this province. These difficulties affect court operations, delay the resolution of cases, and, ultimately, place an added burden upon our people." Marcos said in his speech.

"At the heart of these challenges are Filipinos whose livelihoods and families may depend on the timely resolution of their cases. After all, peace means resolving conflicts through justice, treating every person with fairness, and respecting the rule of law. The establishment of the Sulu Hall of Justice is a concrete step towards making that principle a reality," he added.

The opening of the Sulu Hall of Justice in Patikul, Sulu was also attended by Supreme Court Chief Justice Justice Alexander Gesmundo and Department of Justice Secretary Frederick Visa, as well as other local representatives.

The groundbreaking for the Sulu Hall of Justice took place in 2025, with the goal of bringing judicial services closer to the southern provincial island group. — VDV, GMA News