BARMM chief minister vows peaceful, orderly polls
MANILA, Philippines — New Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua on Thursday vowed for a conduct of a peaceful and orderly 2025 midterm elections in the region.
During his courtesy visit to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) main office in Intramuros, Macacua was asked about the BARMM’s security preparations for elections, particularly the start of the campaign period for the local candidates.
“Since the president instructed me to institute a peace and order in BARMM then we committed to that, especially in this coming election, 2025 elections. Kasi kailangan din naming i-address yun (Because we need to address that) because one way to show to the world that BARMM is now sustaining peace and order situation particularly related to the elections,” Macacua said in a press conference.
Macacua also said that he had coordinated with the security forces to deploy necessary presence in the area, in which he said that they are hopeful that security concerns will be “neutralized.”
“This time around we will assure that the Comelec and the president that we will do everything to neutralize all those concerns related in peace and order in BARMM,” Macacua added.
The Comelec recently observed an uptick in election-related violence in Cotabato City and Maguindanao del Sur, following a recent incident where a vice mayoral aspirant in Datu Piang, Maguindanao del Sur survived a gun attack.
In January, the poll body identified 38 areas under the red category due to grave threats and concerns amid the preparations for the 2025 elections.
Thirty-two areas are under the BARMM, two each in Cagayan Valley and Bicol region, and one each in Western and Eastern Visayas.
Macacua serves as the chief of staff of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.
He was also appointed as the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy from 2019 to 2022, and was also a commissioner of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission.
