‘Resign order’ vs BARMM education minister opposed
COTABATO CITY—Thousands of supporters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) marched and staged a protest rally on Monday in front of the Bangsamoro government center to oppose Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua’s letter asking Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal to resign.
The rally participants also called for the full implementation of the government-MILF Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro and the reinstatement of Al Haj Murad Ebrahim as Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
Protesters carried placards demanding Ebrahim’s reinstatement and expressing support for Iqbal to remain as minister of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE).
The demonstrators filled the 300-meter, four-lane Gov. Gutierrez Avenue leading to the main entrance of the Bangsamoro Government Center beginning at 7 a.m.
The group also called for the reinstatement of 41 MILF-endorsed members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).
Police estimated the crowd at between 10,000 and 15,000 people.
‘No due process’
Datswin Sangkula, spokesperson for the Recover BARMM Movement, said the protesters opposed Macacua’s letter directing Iqbal to step down despite the absence of due process and without any criminal or administrative charges filed against him.
In his letter to Iqbal, Macacua cited a report from the Commission on Audit (COA) on alleged discrepancies in MBHTE procurement bids amounting to more than P2.2 billion as basis for requesting the minister’s resignation.
Macacua said that “given the gravity of the findings and the enormity of the amount involved, the gains of good and moral governance enunciated by former Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim and which we are currently pursuing, are in serious jeopardy.”
The acting chief minister noted that “the issue is not about Iqbal as a person, but about corruption. It just so happened that he is the minister.”
Macacua also described the MBHTE as “graft-ridden,” saying findings from the COA and the BTA Blue Ribbon Committee indicate that corruption exists within the ministry.
On Saturday, May 16, Iqbal rejected Macacua’s request for him to step down.
Preliminary findings
“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 any future action as constituting a constructive or deemed resignation,” Iqbal said.
Iqbal said the issues raised by Macacua involve only preliminary COA audit findings still under review, adding that MBHTE continues to cooperate with the audit process. He also vowed to clear his name and protect his integrity.
