MILF Chairman Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim Seeks Dialogue with BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua to discuss Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal’s Situation
Short link: https://wp.me/paaccn-Zrg
| X (Twitter): @edd1819 | Instagram: @bluestar0910 |Facebook: SDN – SciTech & Digital News
COTABATO CITY, May 18, 2026 — On May 11, Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua asked Minister Mohagher M. Iqbal to tender his resignation”, citing the Commission on Audit’s (COA) ” preliminary” findings on the case of over Php2.7-billion series of procurements allegedly tainted with irregularities.
Iqbal, who is also a member of the Parliament (MP), is the head of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE), one of the 15 primary ministries of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Iqbal responded on May 16 to the interim Chief Minister’s letter as he politely declined the latter’s call for his resignation that should take effect at the close of office on Monday, May 18.
As this developed, erstwhile interim chief minister Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), issued a memorandum on May 17 addressed to Macacua. He asked for a dialogue between and among brothers — or comrades-in-arm — as they share suffering, hardships, blood, sweat, and tears in the decades of Bangsamoro struggle for self-determination.
The triumvirate of Ebrahim, Macacua, and Iqbal are officers of the MILF, founded in 1977 by the late Ustadhz Salamat Hashim: Ebrahim is chairman, Iqbal is first vice chairman, while Macacua is chief of staff.
They are also together in the MILF’s political wing and political party, the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), one of the 10 or more Regional Parliamentary Political Parties (RPPPs) registered to participate in the scheduled first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections (BPE) on September 14, 2026.
In his two-page letter to Iqbal, the Chief Minister referred to the Php2,247,023,709.80 which the Commission on Audit (COA) had flagged in its “preliminary”. Final results of the special audit of the concerned procurements by the commission have not yet come out as this writing.
Macacua’s letter mentioned 53 contracts worth Php1.95 billion allegedly awarded even with issues that may have involved misrepresentations in omnibus sworn statements that would have been enough for disqualification of concerned bidders.
He indicated that the liquidated damages should have been imposed on delayed projects, as well as the questionable eligibility of joint venture arrangements, and that late posting of required performance securities by the contractors engaged with the procurement transactions.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the COA’s major audit finding about 73 disbursement vouchers worth Ph2.247 billion that were already supposed to be fully paid amidst lack of mandatory procurement documents which are standard under government auditing and procurement regulations.
“Anent this, we respectfully request you to either resign immediately or you shall be deemed resigned if we do not receive your irrevocable resignation at the closing office hour of Monday, May 18, 2026,” he asks Iqbal.
Iqbal responded to the letter and call for his resignation.
“I respectfully decline to resign at this time, and I wish to place on record that I do not consent to any interpretation of my silence or of any future action as constituting a constructive or deemed resignation,” the MBHTE education minister emphasizes, his tone diplomatic as ever.
In this letter, he reiterated his statement made many times in the past as the said issue flew thick and thin on social media, saying COA’s report earlier leaked in the media are mere “preliminary audit findings” and the the commission is still going through the concerned transaction documents.
MILF Central Committee calls for dialogue and shura
The MILF leader, also chief negotiator and Peace Implementing Panel (PIP) chairman as well as co-chairman of the InterGovernment Relations Body (IGRB), noted that there’s been no criminal case nor formal complaint lodged against him.
“These are preliminary audit findings under routine examination of documents which MBHTE is required to comment and explain. There is no criminal preliminary investigation. No formal charges have been brought before me,” he adds.
Cooperation with the audit agency of the government is ongoing is the review process continues, the MBHTE head pointed out.
“I have cooperated with COA to clarify these preliminary findings. Exchanges of documents, explanations and comments are still ongoing between the MBHTE and the COA National Office with MBHTE personnel fully cooperating with the process,” assures Iqbal.
Thus, he says, forcing him to resign in this particular moment “would deprive me of the full and fair opportunity to respond to these matters and clear my name”, adding that his resignation could be taken as “an admission of guilt”.
Iqbal invoked, also in his letter, the brotherhood he has with Macacua steeled during the time they stood together in more difficult moments than what’s happening now.
“It is from that same place of respect and shared history that I write this letter; not in defiance, but in the appeal to the values we have both long upheld. You know that in the MILF, we were taught that brothers are owed honesty, dignity, and a fair hearing even when the stakes are high and suspicion is grave,” the MBHTE official recalls.
On the other hand, he did not fail to acknowledge the Chief Minister’s authority to remove him from office based on proper legal procedures.
Amidst the issue on the MBHTE, the Office of the Chairman of the MILF Central Committee under Ebrahim, issued Memorandum Order No. 09, Series of 2026, addressed to the Chief Minister, titled “The Duty to Consult the MILF on Major Decisions of the BARMM as Lead of the Interim Government during the Transition Period“.
Among others, the memorandum serves to remind the Chief Minister that Iqbal’s resignation is a decision that it was not him to make.
“All such decisions must be preceded by a mandatory consultation with the MILF as lead in Bangsamoro Transition Authority under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) pursuant (to) Article XVI Section 2 of the Bangsamoro Organic Law,” the memorandum points out.
Saying that “Brother Iqbal is not an ordinary Cabinet member of the BARMM…the MILF Central Committee wishes to discuss this matter with you in the spirit of genuine dialogue and shura”.
The MILF Central Committee advised the Chief Minister “put on hold this move until” a decision has been need collectively. — EDD K. USMAN (/)