Misuari, 5 BARMM governors back Macacua to lead Bangsamoro Parliament

COTABATO CITY —Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman and former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) regional governor Nur Misuari has thrown his full support behind Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua to lead the regular Bangsamoro parliament.

The endorsement came during a courtesy visit by Macacua to Misuari’s residence, where the veteran revolutionary leader praised Macacua following a strong electoral performance in his district.

"Congratulations on your landslide victory in your district. You are the Chief Minister, you deserve it," Misuari told Macacua.

Highlighting the importance of visionary leadership, Misuari emphasized that the younger generation must take the lead in governance to steer the autonomous region toward a better future.

"Young people like you should be able to pursue a bigger dream for our people... We need good people like you at the helm," Misuari remarked, urging the Chief Minister to press forward. "Carry on, I hope you will stay long in your administration, In Shaa Allah. You have my support, my full support!"

Reflecting on the meeting, Macacua shared that he visited and checked in on the MNLF founding chairman to honor their shared history.

“There are relationships shaped by history that continue to give meaning to our steps toward the future,” Macacua stated, pointing to historical bonds that continue to guide their path forward.

Macacua previously served as the military chief of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF), the armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), before political realignments ahead of the parliamentary elections, which saw his faction align separately from the MILF’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP).

The origins of the MILF are deeply intertwined with the MNLF.

Before becoming separate entities, their key leaders—including Nur Misuari and Salamat Hashim—were close comrades who forged their alliance during the Martial Law era in the Philippines.

The relationship dates back to the late 1960s and early 1970s. Following the 1968 Jabidah Massacre, where dozens of Moro army recruits were killed, indignation exploded across Muslim communities in Mindanao and Sulu. Nur Misuari, then a young activist and university instructor, together with Salamat Hashim, an Islamic scholar educated at Al-Azhar University, helped organize the unified Moro resistance.

When President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. declared Martial Law in September 1972 and ordered the confiscation of firearms in the region, the newly formed MNLF and its armed wing launched a massive guerrilla insurgency against government forces.

In 1977, ideological and leadership differences led Salamat Hashim to formally break away from Misuari's leadership, initially forming a faction known as the "New MNLF." By 1984, this group officially organized and institutionalized itself as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Meanwhile, five BARMM governors express full support for the Coalition Government as the inaugural session set for October 30th comes closer.

Macacua, together with the region's governors, formally announced the formation of a coalition government after 46 elected Members of Parliament signed the BARMM Government Coalition Document. The agreement was formally signed in Davao City on October 12, 2026.

The official statement emphasized that this coalition is led by the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), comprising various political parties, provinces, ethnolinguistic groups, and revolutionary organizations united under a single vision for the entire Bangsamoro. According to the leaders, this majority will officially form the "Government of the Day."

The formal establishment of the Government of the Day will take place alongside the selection of the Chief Minister during the inaugural session of the elected Members of Parliament on October 30, 2026, in accordance with the law. The leadership appealed to all Bangsamoro leaders and institutions to respect the proper processes of parliamentary democracy.

The region's key governors who expressed strong support and signed the document are Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Jr. of Lanao del Sur; Datu Tucao O. Mastura of Maguindanao del Norte; Datu Ali Midtimbang of Maguindanao del Sur; Mujiv Hataman of Basilan; and Yshmael "Mang" I. Sali of Tawi-Tawi.

The leadership also expressed gratitude for the national government's continued respect for BARMM institutions and processes. The coalition assured that its governance will be inclusive, united, and focused on serving every community, province, and sector across the region without bias. —LDF, GMA News