Lawyer Pangalian Balindong, speaker of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), died around 1 a.m. Thursday at a hospital in Makati City due to illness. He was 85.
Balindong served as parliament speaker of BARMM since 2019, making him the second-highest official in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua expressed condolences, saying,
“He was more than a leader, a guiding light whose wisdom, humility, and dedication touched the lives of many. His legacy of service to the Bangsamoro will live on in our hearts.”
To honor his service, the Philippine and BARMM flags will fly at half-mast in all government offices in the region.
BTA parliament member Sittie Fahanie Uy-Oyod added,
“Speaker Balindong was not only a pillar of the BTA but also a true Moro leader whose wisdom, dedication, and lifelong service paved the way for the realization of the Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination.”
Balindong was laid to rest in his hometown in Lanao del Sur following Islamic rites.
