DAVAO CITY – The League of Bangsamoro Organizations Inc. (LBO) appealed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to uphold unity amid the questions raised on the recent leadership change in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
MILF Chairman Ahod Ebrahim with BIAF commanders. (MILF)
In a statement, LBO President Hashim Manticayan urged the national government to protect the peace process from political maneuvering that could polarize the Bangsamoro people.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has expressed disappointment over the recent change of leadership in the Bangsamoro region, particularly Marcos’ appointment of Abdulraof Macacua as the new interim chief minister along with other new members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.
For the MILF, the new appointments in the BTA, including the interim chief minister, undermines Section 2, Article XVI of the BOL, which provides that "the Moro Islamic Liberation Front shall lead the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, without prejudice to the participation of the Moro National Liberation Front in its membership."
“BARMM’s creation was not just a political agreement but a historic covenant built on trust and shared aspirations,” Manticayan said. “Let this administration be remembered for strengthening national unity and ensuring Bangsamoro’s right to self-determination and sustainable development.”
The LBO, which is composed of at least 600 civil society organizations, appealed to the BARMM leaders to prioritize service over power as well as set aside personal interests and work for BARMM’s continued progress. “Let dialogue replace discord, reconciliation prevail over division, and justice guide all decisions.”
Manticayan reminded the leaders of the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to remain united as the aspirations for self-determination are far from over.
“The Bangsamoro people have suffered decades of war, displacement, and marginalization,” he said.
Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPRU) Secretary Carlito Galvez defended Marcos’ decision to change the leadership in the BARMM.
Galvez said the move adheres to both the letter and spirit of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
He issued the statement after the MILF Central Committee expressed disappointment over Marcos’ move to replace Ahod Ebrahim as BARMM chief minister despite the group’s strong opposition.
“Clearly, this non-conformity with the list of nominees is an act which can be categorized as meddling into the internal affairs of MILF and directly erodes the principle of autonomy enunciated in the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” the group said in a statement released on March 16.
Marcos appointed Macacua as the new interim chief minister and took his oath before the President on March 12.
Ebrahim, popularly known as Al Haj Murad, is the current MILF chair while Macacua is the chief of staff of its armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).
Despite these changes in the BARMM leadership, the former interim chief minister still earned the support of all the six front commanders and six base commanders across Mindanao since he is still the recognized commander-in-chief of the BIAF.
Twelve base commanders, mostly from Maguindanao provinces, expressed support to the new interim chief minister.
According to a source in the MILF, among the most notable front commanders who remain loyal to their chain-of-command are Jack Abas of Eastern Mindanao Front and Western Mindanao Front commander Abdullah Macapaar, popularly known as Commander Bravo.
The source added that each BIAF front consists of at least six base commands with an estimated 3,000 followers and regular combatants.