COTABATO CITY, Philippines โ Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on Monday, February 16, warned that a petition before the Supreme Court seeking the removal of seven members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) could destabilize the region at a critical stage of its peace process.
โI am trying to unite the entire Bangsamoro; others want it divided,โ Macacua said, referring to a mandamus petition with prayers for declaratory relief and other remedies that questions the continued tenure of seven BTA members, including himself.
Copies of the petition circulating online show Macacua and six other transition parliamentarians named as respondents. The filing asks the High Court to compel their removal from office.
Macacua framed the legal challenge as more than a procedural dispute, saying it risks unsettling gains achieved under the peace agreements between the national government and Moro fronts โ milestones that led to the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
He called for an inquiry into the personalities behind the petition. The inquiry, he clarified, is not to stifle dissent. But it is to determine whether there are efforts to derail the regional transition government and the national administrationโs push to fast-track the peace roadmap.
Congress is currently considering proposals to hold the first regular BARMM parliamentary elections in September 2026, widely seen as a decisive step in completing the political transition.
Macacua warned that actions perceived as destabilizing the BTA at this stage could undermine preparations for the elections and erode public confidence in the process.
โWe are at a defining moment,โ he said.
โThe Bangsamoro people have waited decades for peace, for genuine self-governance, for a future free from conflict. We cannot allow division to reverse what has already been built.โ
The interim chief minister said the transition government remains focused on strengthening institutions, delivering basic services, and preparing the region for a peaceful and credible parliamentary vote in 2026.
He acknowledged that the Supreme Court, as the countryโs highest tribunal, will decide on the merits of the petition, but urged stakeholders to reflect on the broader consequences of political infighting.
โThis is bigger than personalities,โ Macacua said. โThis is about the future of our children and the promise of lasting peace.โ
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