COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua visited Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chair Ahod Ebrahim, also known as Kagui Murad, at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, on Wednesday, February 18, a day before the start of Ramadan.
The meeting underscored their shared commitment to safeguard the gains of the peace process between the MILF and the national government.
Ebrahim served as the first appointed chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and currently chairs the MILF central committee.
Macacua, for his part, previously headed the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the MILF’s armed wing, before he assumed the leadership of the BARMM regional government.
The BARMM was established in 2019 following the 2014 peace agreement between the MILF and Malacañang, replacing the 27-year-old Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The accord capped more than two decades of peace negotiations between the rebel group and the government.
Macacua said he and his delegation received a warm welcome from Ebrahim and his family at Camp Darapanan, a government-recognized MILF enclave located in Sultan Kudarat, one of the 12 municipalities of Maguindanao del Norte.
During their meeting, Macacua and Ebrahim agreed to sustain extensive cooperation in advancing peace and sustainable development programs that would benefit Muslim, Christian, and non-Moro indigenous communities across the Bangsamoro region.
Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam, began on Thursday, February 19. During this period, physically fit Muslims observe fasting from dawn to sunset as a religious obligation.
For Muslims, Ramadan is also a time for forgiveness, reconciliation, and heightened acts of charity without expecting anything in return.
In a statement released Friday, Macacua assured the public of the BARMM government’s full cooperation with local government units, police, and military authorities to ensure peace and security across the autonomous region throughout the month of Ramadan.
PHOTO: A photo released to the media showed Macacua and Ebrahim during their meeting at Camp Darapanan on Wednesday. (Contributed Photo)
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