BARMM chief Macacua leading in Maguindanao del Norte’s 3rd District

BARMM POLLS. Former acting Maguindanao del Norte governor Abdulraof 'Sammy Gambar' Macacua was appointed the interim chief minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in March 2025.

Abdulraof "Sammy Gambar" Macacua Facebook

BARMM Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof 'Sammy Gambar' Macacua stays in the Bangsamoro Parliament as an elected member from Maguindanao del Norte's 3rd District

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua is enjoying an overwhelming lead in the race for the 3rd District seat of Maguindanao del Norte in the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

Macacua has received 33,238 votes so far, as of 9:14 pm Monday, September 14, based on 88.83% of total election returns. His only opponent, Badrudin Mamad, only has 7,974 votes, making it impossible for him to catch up to Macacua’s lead based on the number of registered voters.

His victory secures his spot in the Bangsamoro Parliament, making him eligible to be chosen as the first elected BARMM chief minister. 

Macacua, who was acting governor of Maguindanao del Norte, was appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as interim chief minister of BARMM in March 2025, succeeding Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, the chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Macacua’s appointment caused tensions within the MILF, which later resulted in his indefinite suspension as chief of MILF’s Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces.

The chief minister filed his candidacy as an independent candidate, but joined the Bangsamoro Federalist Party in August, becoming party president and taking over the role of Member of Parliament Tomanda Antok. – Rappler.com