Macacua beats Murad for Bangsamoro Chief Minister post

COTABATO CITY (October 30) — Members of the first elected Bangsamoro Parliament chose Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua as Chief Minister on Friday, Oct. 30, handing him a 51-27 victory over Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Chair Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim in the chamber’s inaugural session held at the Shariff Kaunsuan Cultural Complex here.

Macacua, head of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), was nominated by MP Kitem Kadatuan, while Ebrahim, standing for the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), was nominated by MP Mohagher Iqbal. One of the 79 members present abstained.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law requires a Chief Minister to win a majority of all 80 members, or at least 41. Members cast their votes by standing after the nominations were closed.

Ebrahim lost the support of four UBJP district representatives: Tawakal Midtimbang of Maguindanao del Sur’s 1st District, and Hamza Gauraki, Lampa Pandi, and Ahmad Amir “Arrie” Balindong of Lanao del Sur’s 2nd, 4th, and 8th districts. He picked up the vote of MP Ali Sangki of the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC), who represents Maguindanao del Sur’s 3rd District.

The same split decided the race for Speaker. MP Amer Zaakaria Rakim, the BGC’s second nominee, won 51 votes against the 27 cast for outgoing Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Speaker Mohammad Shuaib Yacob of the UBJP.

Macacua, a former chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the MILF’s armed wing, served as Senior Minister under Ebrahim before he was named acting governor of the newly created Maguindanao del Norte province. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed him to replace Ebrahim as interim Chief Minister in March 2025.

After taking his oath before Sheik Muslim Guiamaden, the Bangsamoro Wali or ceremonial head, Macacua took over from temporary presiding officer MP Ishak Mastura to preside over the election of the Speaker.

Marcos, who attended the session in person, addressed the chamber before the leadership votes and pledged the national government’s continued support for the region.

“To the people of the Bangsamoro, the national government stands with you. Your success is the country’s success. We will never abandon you,” he said.

The President urged the new legislators to remember those who died during the decades of conflict, and paid tribute to the leaders “from every side of the table” whose work led to the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the Bangsamoro Organic Law, and the creation of the BTA.

“Brothers and sisters, I come before you as your president and a man of a different faith. We may call upon God in different ways, yet we all ask for the same mercy, the same peace, and the same strength to do what is right,” Marcos said.

He called on the Parliament to govern with unity and statesmanship, pass laws and deliver services that meet the needs of the Bangsamoro people, and use public funds efficiently and transparently.

“To the members of this Parliament: Never forget the struggle that people have endured. Serve with humility. Carry the hopes of many generations and honor their sacrifices through good governance,” he said.

Marcos said the elections were only the start, and that the harder task would be making the parliamentary government work.

The session opened with Guiamaden striking the gong. Director Jaime Ayub, a ranking officer of the interim Parliament’s Secretariat, then presided over the election of Mastura as temporary presiding officer, on a motion by MP Naguib Sinarimbo.

Seventy-nine members answered the roll call. MP Abdulrahman Mangudadatu informed the Secretariat in a letter that he could not attend because he was indisposed.

The members, who assumed office on Friday, will serve until June 30, 2031.-Taher Solaiman