Abdulraof Macacua
{{Short description|Filipino politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Abdulraof Macacua
|image =Macacua oathtaking 3 (cropped).jpg
|caption = Macacua in 2023
| office =Chief Minister of Bangsamoro
| term_start = March 12, 2025
| term_end =
|president = Bongbong Marcos
| predecessor =Murad Ebrahim
| 1blankname = Wa'lī
| 1namedata = Muslim Guiamaden
| successor =
| office1 =Member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament
| term_start1 = March 15, 2025
| term_end1 =
|1blankname1 = Chief Minister
|1namedata1 = Himself
|appointer1 = Bongbong Marcos
| term_start2 = March 29, 2019
|1blankname2 = Chief Minister
|1namedata2 = Murad Ebrahim
|nominator2 = Moro Islamic Liberation Front
|appointer2 = Rodrigo Duterte
| office3 = Governor of Maguindanao del Norte
| appointer3 = Bongbong Marcos
| termstart3 = April 5, 2023{{efn|Served as Officer in Charge from April 5, 2023 to April 28, 2023.}}
| termend3 = March 26, 2025
| vicegovernor3 = Ainee Sinsuat (until August 14, 2023)
| order3 =
| predecessor3 = Ainee Sinsuat
| successor3 = Sharifudin Panga Mastura
| office4 =Bangsamoro Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy
| term_start4 = February 26, 2019
| term_end4 = 2022
| 1blankname4 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata4 = Murad Ebrahim
| predecessor4 = Position established
| successor4 = Akmad Brahim
| office5 =Bangsamoro Senior Minister
| term_start5= November 11, 2019
| term_end5 = April 5, 2023
| predecessor5= Esmael Omar Pasigan
| successor5 = Abunawas Maslamama
| birth_name =Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua
| birth_place = Kabuntalan, Cotabato, Philippines
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|09|13}}
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| occupation =
| citizenship =
| party = PFP (2023–present)
UBJP (2014–present){{cite web |title=MACACUA, ABDULRAOF A. |url=https://parliament.bangsamoro.gov.ph/member-parliament/macacua-abdulraof-a/ |website=Bangsamoro Parliament}}
| education =
| known_for =
|module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
|allegiance = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.svg}} MILF
|branch =
|serviceyears =
|rank =
|nickname = Sammy Gambar
|battles = Moro conflict
}}
}}
Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua, also known by his nom de guerre Sammy Gambar,{{cite web |title=Clans in Maguindanao's biggest 'rido' bury hatchet |url=https://mindanaodailymirror.ph/Main/full_article/clans-in-maguindanao-s-biggest-rido-bury-hatchet8638 |website=mindanaodailymirror.ph |date=June 29, 2020}} is a Filipino politician who is the Governor of Maguindanao del Norte.
Early life
Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua was born on September 13, 1957,{{cite web |title=Certificate of Candidacy for District Representative. BARMM Parliament - Macacua, Abdulraof A.|url=https://comelec.gov.ph/php-tpls-attachments/2025NLE/COC_2025NLE/BPE_COCCONA/MDN/DR_D3_MACACUA_ABDULRAOF_A.pdf|access-date=6 February 2025}} to Salma B. Macacua and Macacua W. Tubo-Tubo in Gambar in Kabuntalan, Cotabato (now in Maguindanao del Norte).{{cite web |title=Profile of Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua |url=https://menre.bangsamoro.gov.ph/minister-profile/ |publisher=Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (Bangsamoro) |accessdate=July 11, 2020}}
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.
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.{{cite news |last1=Macabalang |first1=Ali |title=Murad reshuffles BARMM Cabinet |url=https://news.mb.com.ph/2019/11/12/murad-reshuffles-barmm-cabinet/ |accessdate=November 13, 2019 |work=Manila Bulletin |date=November 12, 2019}} As environment minister, he overlooked the implementation of the Kayod sa Bangsamoro program, which encouraged backyard farming in the region.{{cite news |last1=Saiden |first1=Albashir |title=BARMM residents told to protect nature, do backyard farming |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1100715 |accessdate=July 11, 2020 |agency=Philippine News Agency |date=April 23, 2020}}
=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.{{cite news |last1=Latoza |first1=Guinevere |title=MILF, BARMM officials declare unity amid leadership change |url=https://pcij.org/2025/03/10/milf-barmm-officials-declare-unity-amid-leadership-change/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism|date=10 March 2025}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Esguerra |first1=Darryl John |title=Maguindanao Norte Gov. Macacua named new BARMM chief minister |url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1245701 |access-date=12 March 2025 |agency=Philippine News Agency |date=9 March 2025 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Cabrera |first1=Ferdinandh |title=New interim chief minister? BARMM still silent |url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/mindanao/new-interim-chief-minister-abdulraof-macacua-barmm-still-silent/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=Rappler |date=9 March 2025}} He took oath before Marcos on March 12, 2025.{{cite news |last1=Fonbuena |first1=Carmela |title=BARMM has a new interim chief minister |url=https://pcij.org/2025/03/09/barmm-new-chief-minister/ |access-date=12 March 2025 |publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism |date=9 March 2025}}{{cite news |title=Macacua sworn in as new Interim Chief Minister of Bangsamoro region |url=https://mindanews.com/top-stories/2025/03/macacua-sworn-in-as-new-interim-chief-minister-of-bangsamoro-region/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |work=MindaNews |date=13 March 2025}} Macacua also returns as a member of parliament.{{cite news |last1=Fernandez |first1=Edwin O |last2=Lacorte |first2=Germelina |last3=Rosauro |first3=Ryan |title=New BARMM chief mends ties with MILF |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2045783/new-barmm-chief-mends-ties-with-milf |access-date=23 March 2025 |date=22 March 2025 |language=en}}
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. Macacua was an MILF nominee for member of parliament but not as chief minister.
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.{{cite news |last1=Mendoza |first1=John Eric |title=Bangsamoro Parliament yet to decide on reapportionment of Sulu seats |url=https://www.inquirer.net/432392/bangsamoro-parliament-yet-to-decide-on-reapportionment-of-sulus-seats/ |access-date=15 March 2025 |work=Philippine Daily Inquirer |date=13 March 2025 |language=en}} Macacua has pledged to mend ties with the larger MILF organization.
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.{{cite news |title=Marcos names OICs for Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/866096/marcos-names-oics-for-maguindanao-del-norte-maguindanao-del-sur/story/
|access-date=5 April 2023 |work=GMA News |date=5 April 2023 |language=en}} 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.{{cite news |last1=Cabrera |first1=Ferdinandh |title=Appointed Maguindanao del Norte Gov reveals he wasn’t BARMM’s bet, but Malacañang’s |url=https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2023/04/appointed-maguindanao-del-norte-gov-reveals-he-wasnt-barmms-bet-but-malacanangs/ |access-date=15 April 2023 |work=MindaNews |date=11 April 2023}} But his appointment remains challenged.{{cite news |last1=Cabrera |first1=Ferdinandh |title=Maguindanao del Sur Gov’s camp against appointment of Maguindanao del Norte Gov |url=https://www.mindanews.com/top-stories/2023/04/maguindanao-del-sur-govs-camp-against-appointment-of-maguindanao-del-norte-gov/ |access-date=15 April 2023 |work=MindaNews |date=10 April 2023}}
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.{{cite news |last1=Flores |first1=Helen |title=Marcos to prioritize new provinces of Maguindanao |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/04/30/2262674/marcos-prioritize-new-provinces-maguindanao |access-date=24 July 2023 |work=Philippine Star |date=30 April 2023}}
Personal life
Abdulraof Macacua is married to Guianima Balang with whom he has seven children; four boys and three girls.{{cite news |last1=Lacson |first1=Nonoy |title=Bangsamoro affirms smooth governance transition |url=https://tribune.net.ph/2025/03/11/bangsamoro-affirms-smooth-governance-transition |access-date=12 March 2025 |work=Daily Tribune |date=12 March 2025 |language=en}}
Notes
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References
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{{Current Philippine Governors}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macacua, Abdulraof}}
Category:People from Maguindanao
Category:Members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament