COTABATO CITY (PIA)—The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has a new interim chief minister: Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua.
Bangsamoro Government Spokesperson Mohd Asnin Pendatun confirmed the appointment during a radio interview Monday, March 10.
“We confirmed officially the appointment of Abdulraof Macacua as the new interim chief minister of the BARMM, succeeding Ahod Balawag Ebrahim,” he said.
Prior to his appointment as governor, Macacua, also known as “Sammy Gambar,” served as senior minister of the BARMM and minister of environment, natural resources and energy.
Macacua was also chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), where he was instrumental in the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s transition from an armed revolutionary group to a political organization.
In the radio interview, Pendatun underscored that the transition in leadership allows Ebrahim to focus on the upcoming parliamentary elections as chairperson of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and president of its political party, ensuring the continuity of the Bangsamoro peace process.
“With this development, the outgoing chief minister is able to focus on the preparations for the first parliamentary elections, as the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the president of the organization’s political party,” he said.
Pendatun also assured Bangsamoro residents that the change in leadership will be done smoothly to avoid disruption of operations in the region.
“Makakaasa po ang ating mga kababayan na ‘yong gagawing change of leadership ay hindi makaka-disrupt ng ating serbisyo sa Bangsamoro,” he pointed out.
(Our fellow citizens can rest assured that the change in leadership will not disrupt our services in Bangsamoro.)
In an official statement, the Bangsamoro Government also expressed gratitude to outgoing Chief Minister Ebrahim, highlighting his strong guidance in the development and progress of the region.
“Through his guidance, our region has witnessed a transformative journey where social bonds have strengthened with the implementation of people-centric programs, economic opportunities have flourished contributing to the drastic decrease in poverty incidence, and political foundations have grown ever more steadfast through the passages of landmark legislations and policies,” the statement read.
The Bangsamoro Government has also called on the Bangsamoro people to remain united in upholding moral governance as the BARMM nears the final phase of its transition period.
“As we approach the final stretch of the transition period, we call on everyone to remain united in our collective pursuit of moral governance, justice, peace, and a brighter future in the Bangsamoro,” the Bangsamoro Government stated. (LTOB, PIA Region 12)
