BARMM power shift not a cause for tension 鈥� PCO Usec Castro
Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro during a press briefing with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC) on March 3, 2025. | PHOTO: Screengrab from RTVM
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro sees no reason for conflict to start due to the transfer of power in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
On Sunday evening, Castro confirmed to reporters that Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua had been appointed as the new interim chief minister of BARMM, replacing Ahod Ebrahim.
At a Palace briefing on Monday, Castro was asked to comment on concerns that the regional leadership change might cause tension.
“As of now, we don’t see any reason for anything that could be a reason for conflict if there’s a transfer of power in BARMM,” she said in Filipino.
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“And as for the personality of Chief Ahod Ebrahim, he is one of the proponents of the peace process. So, we do not see such a scenario happening under his leadership,” she added.
In a statement earlier in the day, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez Jr. welcomed the development.
“This transition comes at a crucial time as the Bangsamoro region prepares for a significant milestone — its first parliamentary elections in October this year,” he said.
“The appointment of long-time Moro leader Abdulraof Macacua as the new interim chief minister by President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. will further strengthen the leadership foundation established by Ahod Ebrahim, Al-Haj, in the ongoing transition period of the Bangsamoro region,” Galvez added.
He also thanked Ebrahim for his leadership and vision, “particularly in fostering meaningful autonomy for the Bangsamoro people and advancing the peace process in the region.”
