COTABATO CITY โ The Bangsamoro government has extended its condolences to the Catholic community across the region following the death of Pope Francis, emphasizing the need for interfaith unity in a region shaped by diversity.
Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua on Tuesday, April 22, expressed the regional government’s sympathies to Catholics in all three cities and five provinces under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
โWe in the Bangsamoro government express our deepest condolences to the Catholic Church, our Catholic constituents, and to everyone mourning the loss of Pope Francis,โ Macacua said in a statement sent to media.
The Vatican announced on Monday, April 21, that Pope Francis passed away peacefully at the age of 88 following complications related to a prolonged respiratory illness. His death marks the end of a papacy defined by bold social reform, compassion for the marginalized, and efforts to bridge religious divides worldwide.
Macacua, a former commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), has long maintained ties with Christian leaders in Central Mindanao โ a relationship forged during the decades-long peace process that culminated in the creation of the MILF-led BARMM in 2019.
Bangsamoro Chief: ‘Religions Should Not Divide Us’
One of those who stood by the peace efforts was retired Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, who backed the political transition in the region.
Speaking to reporters, Macacua said he personally grieves with the Catholic community, citing the Bangsamoro government’s commitment to religious and cultural solidarity.
โReligions should not divide us, nor should they create barriers,โ Macacua said. โThere is an Islamic teaching which says, โUnto you your religion, unto me mine.โโ
He added that Islam advocates for tolerance and peaceful coexistence, values that remain central to the Bangsamoro government’s vision for a unified, inclusive region.
