COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — The changing of the guard in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will not disrupt the delivery of services to the people, with a smooth transfer of leadership from Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim to Abdulraof Macacua as interim chief minister.
“We assure the people of a smooth leadership change, one that will not disrupt the operations of the Bangsamoro government, nor hinder our commitment to continued delivery of services and programs,” the regional government’s statement released on Monday afternoon said.
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The BARMM transitional government, which is led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has urged the Bangsamoro people to keep their unity.
“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,” it said.
With the regional elections reset to October this year, the BARMM government is preparing for a peaceful and orderly transition to the first regularly elected leadership.
Along with welcoming the newly appointed members of parliament, the regional government also expressed gratitude to Ebrahim, highlighting his role in solidifying the foundations of a strong and effective Moro autonomy.
Under his leadership, the interim government implemented major reforms, passed landmark pieces of legislation, and instilled moral governance in the newly established autonomous region.
Ebrahim and Macacua, the governor of Maguindanao del Norte, are both senior leaders of the MILF, which inked a peace deal with the national government upon which the powers of what is now the BARMM are based.
But just as BARMM leaders pushed for calm and tranquility, the online site Luwaran.com, an information arm of the MILF, issued an editorial raising issues surrounding the appointment of new members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).
Issues raised
The editorial, “Did the Government Violate the Bangsamoro Organic Law?” said President Marcos’ appointment of new BARMM leaders has “sparked controversy and raised serious legal questions.”
It said that by appointing individuals who were not officially endorsed by the MILF, the President may have directly violated the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), the BARMM’s charter.
Under the BOL, the MILF is allowed to lead the BTA.
When the BTA was organized in 2019, the MILF endorsed its nominee for chief minister and 40 others for members of the interim parliament. The government, on the other hand, had 39 nominees.
The editorial said that despite the clear legal provision, Mr. Marcos appointed individuals who were not endorsed by the MILF.
“This move not only disregards the agreement underpinning the BOL but also weakens the credibility of the MILF’s leadership in the transition,” it said.
“This raises serious concerns about the Philippine government’s sincerity to its obligations under the CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) and BOL,” it added.
It also said that the appointment of non-MILF-endorsed individuals, whether they belong to the MILF or not, was more than a technical violation—it was a breach of the trust that underpins the peace process.
“The MILF chose the path of negotiation, believing in the promises made by the government. [Mr.] Marcos’ decision now casts doubt on whether those promises will be upheld,” it said.