Palace calls on MILF to give new BARMM leadership chance

Malacañang on Monday called on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to give chance to the new leadership of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) under Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua.

''Sinabi naman po ‘nung mga tao na umatend po doon sa MILF Consultative Assembly na mayroon pong prerogative ang Pangulo na mag-appoint po ng interim Chief Minister,'' Palace Press Office Undersecretary Atty. Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

(Those who attended the MILF Consultative Assembly said that it was the prerogative of the President to appoint an interim Chief Minister.)

''Sa ngayon po, bagong-bago po, ang hiling po sana natin sa pamunuan po ng MILF ay bigyan po muna ng chance, kapag po hindi naging maayos ang magiging pamumuno po ng bagong na-appoint na ICM, maaari po nating pag-usapan muli ito para po sa ikakaganda ng nasabi poong Bangsamoro, MILF,'' he added.

(At present, we are appealing to the MILF to give the new leadership a chance, if their leadership will not be good, then we can talk about it for the betterment of the Bangsamoro, MILF.)

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) already expressed concern over the change in the leadership and membership of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), including the appointment of Macacua as the new interim chief minister of BARMM.

The MILF central committee issued the statement over the weekend after holding a consultative assembly where they discussed the recent leadership change and its “dire impact” on the implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).

The committee pointed out that only 35 out of the 41 names formally endorsed by the MILF were appointed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., undermining Section 2, Article XVI of the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

To recall, Malacañang confirmed the appointment of Macacua—who also served as Maguindanao del Norte OIC governor—on March 9. Marcos administered his oath of office on March 13.

The President himself had underscored that the appointment of Macacua as the new BARMM interim chief minister was crucial in continuing the progress in the region.—AOL, GMA Integrated News