Bangsamoro Parliament Elects Macacua as First Chief Minister

Bangsamoro, MINA – Lawmakers in the southern Philippines’ Bangsamoro autonomous region elected Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” A. Macacua as chief minister on Friday, marking the transition from more than seven years of interim administration to an elected regional government, according to Anadolu Agency.

Macacua secured 51 votes against 27 for Murad Ebrahim during the first plenary session of the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament in Cotabato City. One lawmaker was absent and another abstained.

The parliament also elected lawyer Amer Zaakaria “Mikee” A. Rakim as speaker, with 51 votes. Both officials were sworn into office following the vote.

Earlier Friday, 79 of the 80 lawmakers took their oaths after the region held its first parliamentary elections on September 14.

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Macacua’s election marks a significant stage in the peace process that led to the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019.

The region had been administered by an interim government initially led by Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Macacua, a former chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, succeeded Ebrahim as interim chief minister in March 2025 after being appointed by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The transition to elected leadership follows the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which laid the foundation for the autonomous region and the shift from armed conflict to parliamentary governance.

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The new parliament consists of 40 regional party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives.

Macacua’s Bangsamoro Federalist Party won 16 seats in the September election, narrowly ahead of Ebrahim’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party, which secured 15 seats.

The formation of the elected government marks a new phase in a peace process spanning several decades. The MILF, which previously led an armed struggle for greater autonomy in the southern Philippines, has moved into electoral politics and regional governance.

The establishment of BARMM followed years of negotiations, including the 2014 peace agreement and the 2019 ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law. The interim administration period, initially scheduled to end in 2022, was extended to allow further preparations for the region’s first parliamentary elections.

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Macacua’s party holds the largest number of seats but does not have a parliamentary majority, making cooperation with other political groups important for the new administration.

The regional government faces challenges including poverty reduction, post-conflict reconstruction, and the reintegration of former combatants into civilian life.

The September election and the formation of the new parliamentary leadership mark a major test for BARMM’s democratic institutions as the region moves further away from interim administration toward elected self-government.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)

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