BARMM polls to proceed despite Macacua ambush, says Palace

The Philippines' Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will hold its first parliamentary elections as scheduled on September 14, Malacañang confirmed Monday. This decision comes despite a recent ambush targeting the convoy of interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro assured the public that the attack would not impede the ongoing transition toward democratic governance in the region.

Chief Minister Macacua survived an ambush on Saturday, August 15, when unidentified gunmen opened fire on vehicles in his convoy in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among those in the convoy. The attack occurred shortly after Macacua assumed leadership of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party during a gathering. The party is actively fielding candidates in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Macacua himself had initially filed his candidacy as an independent but became the party's official candidate after joining it.

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This will not stop efforts to continue the transition toward democratic governance in BARMM.

The September 14 vote marks a significant milestone as BARMM's first regular parliamentary election. It will replace the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority with an elected parliament, a key step in the region's self-governance. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered authorities to enhance security across BARMM and to thoroughly investigate the perpetrators behind the attack.

Castro stated that the Philippine National Police (PNP) would lead the investigation into the ambush. She added that details of the ongoing investigation would not be publicly disclosed. The Commission on Elections has also affirmed that preparations for the polls are continuing, emphasizing that the region remains generally peaceful despite the isolated attack.

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Whatever operations are being conducted to determine who is behind this, we will leave to the PNP, and we cannot disclose everything they are doing in the investigation.