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Svetlana Velmar-Janković
Abdulraof Macacua | |
|---|---|
 Macacua in 2023 | |
| Chief Minister of Bangsamoro | |
| Assumed office March 12, 2025 | |
| President | Bongbong Marcos |
| Wa'lī | Muslim Guiamaden |
| Preceded by | Murad Ebrahim |
| Member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament | |
| Assumed office March 15, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Bongbong Marcos |
| Chief Minister | Himself |
| In office March 29, 2019 – April 5, 2023[1] | |
| Nominated by | Moro Islamic Liberation Front |
| Appointed by | Rodrigo Duterte |
| Chief Minister | Murad Ebrahim |
| Governor of Maguindanao del Norte | |
| In office April 5, 2023[a] – March 26, 2025 | |
| Appointed by | Bongbong Marcos |
| Vice Governor | Ainee Sinsuat (until August 14, 2023) |
| Preceded by | Ainee Sinsuat |
| Succeeded by | Sharifudin Panga Mastura |
| Bangsamoro Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy | |
| In office February 26, 2019 – 2022 | |
| Chief Minister | Murad Ebrahim |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Akmad Brahim |
| Bangsamoro Senior Minister | |
| In office November 11, 2019 – April 5, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Esmael Omar Pasigan |
| Succeeded by | Abunawas Maslamama |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua September 13, 1957 Kabuntalan, Cotabato, Philippines |
| Political party | PFP (2023–present) UBJP (2014–present)[2] |
| Military career | |
| Nickname(s) | Sammy Gambar |
| Allegiance |  MILF |
| Battles / wars | Moro conflict |
Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua, also known by his nom de guerre Sammy Gambar,[3] is a Filipino politician who is the Governor of Maguindanao del Norte.
Early life
Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua was born on September 13, 1957,[4] to Salma B. Macacua and Macacua W. Tubo-Tubo in Gambar in Kabuntalan, Cotabato (now in Maguindanao del Norte).[5]
Moro Islamic Liberation Front
In 1971, Macacua joined the Moro independence movement and adopted the nom de guerre Sammy Gambar. He fought for self-determination of the Moro people under the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). He underwent training both within the Philippines and abroad and rose the rank of the MILF. He later became Chief-of-Staff of the BIAF and a member of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel which engaged in peace talks with the Philippine national government. He also became a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, a government body tasked to create an organic law for a Bangsamoro autonomous region.[5]
Bangsamoro government
Environment minister
Macacua became part of the regional government of Bangsamoro which superseded the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). He was appointed as part of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and became a member of the interim Bangsamoro Parliament. As part of the Bangsamoro Cabinet he was tasked to head the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy and serve as concurrent Executive Secretary.[5][6] As environment minister, he overlooked the implementation of the Kayod sa Bangsamoro program, which encouraged backyard farming in the region.[7]
Interim chief minister
President Bongbong Marcos appointed Abdulraof Macacua as the second interim chief minister of Bangsamoro on March 3, 2025 and will succeed Murad Ebrahim.[8] He is expected to serve until the first regular 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament election which was postponed from May to October. This was confirmed on March 9.[9][10] He took oath before Marcos on March 12, 2025.[11][12] Macacua also returns as a member of parliament.[13]
His appointment was questioned by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front through its editorial on its Luwaran newspaper alleging Marcos violated the Bangsamoro Organic Law by appointing an interim chief minister not on the official list proposed by the former rebel group.[12] Macacua was an MILF nominee for member of parliament but not as chief minister.[13]
Macacua's tasks include overseeing the reallocation of the parliamentary districts for Sulu, a province excluded from the autonomous region by a Supreme Court decision in 2024.[14] Macacua has pledged to mend ties with the larger MILF organization.[13]
Maguindanao del Norte governor
On April 5, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos appointed Macacua as the Officer in Charge (OIC) governor of the newly created Maguindanao del Norte province.[15] The Bangsamoro government initially endorsed Ibrahim Ibay, mayor of Parang, to be appointed to his role but the national government selected him in the end. He was assured by Marcos and Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim that his appointment is legal.[16] But his appointment remains challenged.[17]
On April 28, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos reappointed Macacua as the full pledged governor of the Maguindanao del Norte together with other officials of the provincial government.[18]
Personal life
Abdulraof Macacua is married to Guianima Balang with whom he has seven children; four boys and three girls.[19]
Notes
- ^ Served as Officer in Charge from April 5, 2023 to April 28, 2023.
References
- ^ Cabrera, Ferdinandh (12 February 2024). "Maguindanao del Norte governor's son appointed to Bangsamoro parliament". MindaNews. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
- ^ "MACACUA, ABDULRAOF A." Bangsamoro Parliament.
- ^ "Clans in Maguindanao's biggest 'rido' bury hatchet". mindanaodailymirror.ph. June 29, 2020.
- ^ "Certificate of Candidacy for District Representative. BARMM Parliament - Macacua, Abdulraof A." (PDF). Retrieved 6 February 2025.
- ^ a b c "Profile of Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua". Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (Bangsamoro). Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ Macabalang, Ali (November 12, 2019). "Murad reshuffles BARMM Cabinet". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
- ^ Saiden, Albashir (April 23, 2020). "BARMM residents told to protect nature, do backyard farming". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
- ^ Latoza, Guinevere (10 March 2025). "MILF, BARMM officials declare unity amid leadership change". Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ Esguerra, Darryl John (9 March 2025). "Maguindanao Norte Gov. Macacua named new BARMM chief minister". Philippine News Agency. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ Cabrera, Ferdinandh (9 March 2025). "New interim chief minister? BARMM still silent". Rappler. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ Fonbuena, Carmela (9 March 2025). "BARMM has a new interim chief minister". Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Macacua sworn in as new Interim Chief Minister of Bangsamoro region". MindaNews. 13 March 2025. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ a b c Fernandez, Edwin O; Lacorte, Germelina; Rosauro, Ryan (22 March 2025). "New BARMM chief mends ties with MILF". Retrieved 23 March 2025.
- ^ Mendoza, John Eric (13 March 2025). "Bangsamoro Parliament yet to decide on reapportionment of Sulu seats". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "Marcos names OICs for Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur". GMA News. 5 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
- ^ Cabrera, Ferdinandh (11 April 2023). "Appointed Maguindanao del Norte Gov reveals he wasn't BARMM's bet, but Malacañang's". MindaNews. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ Cabrera, Ferdinandh (10 April 2023). "Maguindanao del Sur Gov's camp against appointment of Maguindanao del Norte Gov". MindaNews. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
- ^ Flores, Helen (30 April 2023). "Marcos to prioritize new provinces of Maguindanao". Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ Lacson, Nonoy (12 March 2025). "Bangsamoro affirms smooth governance transition". Daily Tribune. Retrieved 12 March 2025.