AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The parliament of the Bangsamoro autonomous region in the Philippines on Friday elected 69-year-old Abdulrauf Macacua as head of the regional government after gaining a majority of the representatives' votes. In this vote, Macacua was able to defeat his rival, Murad Ebrahim, one of the leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
According to a report by Al Jazeera, this election was held at the first session of the elected parliament of the Bangsamoro region and in the presence of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. An event considered a new stage in the political process and the consolidation of peace in this region.
The Bangsamoro parliament elected Macacua as prime minister with 51 votes out of a total of 80 representatives. This vote was held a month and a half after the regional elections, during which Macacua's party had failed to obtain the required majority, namely 41 seats. In contrast, his main rival, Murad Ebrahim, obtained 27 votes.
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front had earlier split and divided into two rival parties. Thousands of the front's forces also joined this military commander and his party, known as "Bangsamoro Federal," after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos appointed Abdulrauf Macacua as interim head of the regional government.
The people must determine their own destiny
In his inaugural speech at the first public session of the regular Bangsamoro parliament, Macacua outlined six interrelated priorities for governing the region and emphasized the importance of determining the government's course in its first 100 days of activity.
He said he accepted the responsibility of prime minister not as a personal victory or a privilege for political leadership, but as a sacred trust that carries with it the hopes, expectations, and aspirations of the people of the Bangsamoro region.
Macacua promised to be a prime minister who strives with humility to hear the voice of the people, decides with discernment and foresight, acts with courage, and serves the people with honesty and commitment.
He also emphasized that the people of the Bangsamoro region must have this opportunity to determine their future themselves through democratic, accountable institutions that properly represent their demands.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos also attended the parliament's opening ceremony as a special guest. In his speech, he said: Gaining the right to self-governance was in itself a great progress. The smooth holding of the first parliamentary elections in Bangsamoro was also another historic achievement. Now the most difficult mission begins.
Marcos added: The task of the regional government is to form a stable executive branch. A government that guarantees every family in Bangsamoro can feel the fruits of peace in their daily lives.
Before the elections, the Philippine president had appointed Macacua as interim head of the regional government. A decision that faced opposition from some senior leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. Shortly after this appointment, differences between Macacua and Ebrahim increased, paving the way for their electoral competition in September.
The Bangsamoro region remains the poorest region of the Philippines and, according to official statistics, has the lowest literacy and reading and writing rates among the country's regions.
Bangsamoro on the threshold of a new stage of autonomy
The recent elections are considered another turning point in the peace process that led to the formation of the Bangsamoro autonomous region in its current form. This region was established after the 2019 referendum, and the recent elections are considered its first experience of electing a parliament and forming a permanent government after several years of interim and transitional administration.
However, recent developments are not limited to the election of a prime minister, and the future government will face a set of important challenges. The rehabilitation and reintegration of former armed group forces, confronting poverty, improving education and health conditions, determining the region's share of natural resource revenues, and also preserving the identity of the Moro people are among the most important issues that the new government of the Bangsamoro region must address.
Accordingly, the importance of Bangsamoro's first elected parliament cannot be measured merely by the number of seats held by parties and political currents. The main question is whether political rivals can, by forming a stable coalition, take autonomy beyond the level of a political agreement and turn it into public services, economic opportunities, and tangible rights for the residents of this region.
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