BARMM chief decries petition seeking removal of BTA members

Philstar.com

February 16, 2026 | 10:14am

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua delivered an emotional appeal for unity as he decried what he described as attempts to fracture the region at a critical point in its peace journey.

“I am trying to unite the entire Bangsamoro, others want it divided,” Macacua said, referring to a petition filed before the Supreme Court seeking the removal of seven members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, including himself.

The petition, filed as a mandamus case with prayers for declaratory relief and other remedies, questions the continued tenure of the seven BTA members and asks the High Court to compel their removal from office.

Copies of the filing circulating online show it names Macacua and six other transition parliamentarians as respondents.

For Macacua, the legal move goes beyond a simple court challenge. He framed it as a development that risks unsettling the fragile gains achieved under the peace process between the national government and Moro fronts — gains that paved the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

The chief minister’s call for an investigation into the personalities behind the petition, he said, is not about silencing dissent but about uncovering whether there are efforts to derail both the regional transition government and the national government’s push to fast-track the road to peace.

Congress is currently considering proposals to proceed with the first regular BARMM parliamentary elections in September 2026 — a move 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 those elections and shake public confidence in the process.

“We are at a defining moment,” he said. “The 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.”

Macacua emphasized that the transition government remains committed to fulfilling its mandate: strengthening institutions, delivering basic services, and ensuring that the region is ready for a peaceful and credible parliamentary vote in 2026.

He acknowledged that the Supreme Court, as the country’s highest tribunal, will ultimately decide on the merits of the petition. However, he appealed to all stakeholders to reflect on the broader consequences of political infighting.

“Our duty is to protect the unity of the Bangsamoro and safeguard the peace process,” he said. “This is bigger than personalities. This is about the future of our children and the promise of lasting peace.” (Contributed story)

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