DAVAO CITY – Former Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) chief Mohagher Iqbal will face criminal and administrative charges before the Office of Ombudsman amid massive fraud allegations, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua said.

In his letter to Iqbal, Macacua assured him of due process as he would be given a chance to clear his name.

The alleged funds misuse was exposed after the Commission on Audit report on the questionable purchase of P2.2 billion learning and training materials.

Macacua dismissed Iqbal as the MBHTE chief on May 18 due to loss of trust and confidence amid the corruption issue.

Iqbal initially refused to step down, saying he was not given due process. Macacua dismissed Iqbal's claim, saying the COA special audit was part of due process.

"To provide you further the opportunity to invoke due process and ensure full accountability, I shall immediately forward the final COA findings to the Office of the Ombudsman so that the appropriate criminal and administrative proceedings may commence without delay," Macacua said.

"In that forum, you will have every opportunity to be heard. But those proceedings do not bar the Chief Minister from ending a co-terminus appointment due to loss of confidence."

Macacua said the COA findings against MBHTE were serious and they not only tainted Iqbal's personal credibility but also significantly damaged BARMM's reputation as an institution.

Iqbal’s dismissal from MBHTE earned the ire of many Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) supporters who staged a massive protest in front of the Bangsamoro government center in Cotabato City.

Macacua justified his decision to axe his long-time MILF colleague, citing legal and factual framework in response to Iqbal's refusal to step down.

Macacua clarified that Iqbal's appointment does not enjoy security of tenure, as his ministerial position is not fixed but co-terminus with the appointing authority.

He said Iqbal should not confuse brotherhood with governance and accountability, especially where corruption is alleged.

"The struggle for the Bangsamoro was never about protecting each other from accountability; it was about building a just government. Justice requires that no one, regardless of shared history, remain in office when corruption erodes public trust in the institutions we painstakingly built. Thus, trust and confidence are gone," Macacua said.

Macacua and Iqbal are senior leaders of the MILF.

Iqbal is the MILF first vice chairperson and has been the chairman of the peace panel for over 20 years. Macacua is the chief of staff of the MILF armed wing Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.

"Moral governance demands that we act decisively when public trust is compromised. I have lost full confidence in your ability to lead MBHTE, and that loss of confidence is sufficient grounds for the expiration of your term," Macacua said.