BARMM's chief minister assumes control of controversial regional agency

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May 21, 2026 | 6:03pm

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Bangsamoro Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua assumed control on Wednesday, May 20, of their education ministry, which hit the news sparked by a report from the Commission on Audit about the misuse of P2.2 billion worth of funds from its coffers.

Senior officials of different ministries and support agencies under the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao confirmed to reporters on Thursday Macacua’s takeover of the management and control of the now so controversial Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education-BARMM.

Macacua, as figurehead of the 80-seat Bangsamoro parliament, is also overseeing the operation of all ministries and support agencies under the BARMM government.

Radio reports on Thursday stated that Macacua took over the post of Muhaquer Iqbal, minister of the MBHTE-BARMM, after he declined to resign, as requested, via a memorandum sent to him last week by the Office of the Chief Minister, following COA's release of a report about the questionable spendings of a huge amount of ministry funds, now subject of scrutiny by lawyers and auditors in the commission.

“We just want to fix everything in the operation of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education, nothing more,” Macacua told reporters on Thursday, after confirming his assumption as temporary caretaker, the day before, of the MBHTE-BARMM.

COA officials had earlier announced that the budget and finance records seized last month by state auditors, with the help of personnel of the Philippine Navy's 6th Marine Battalion and policemen, from the MBHTE-BARMM's office in Cotabato City indicated that certain signatories had facilitated the questionable disbursements, of up to P2.2 billion worth of ministry funds, in less that a week sometime last year.

Macacua met on Wednesday ranking MBHTE-BARMM officials, among them the directors of its sub-agencies, Marjuni Maddi, Higher Education, Ruby Andong, Technical Skills and Development, Tahir Nalg, Madaris Education, Johnny Balawag, Basic Education, Yusoph Thong Amino, Bureau of Sports, Al-Khan Sangkula, Special Education, and Judith Caubalejo, Bureau for Indigenous Peoples, and explained to them his intention of restoring public trust in the ministry.

The MBHTE-BARMM has offices in Maguindanao del Sur, Maguindanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Sulu provinces and in the cities of Lamitan, Marawi and Cotabato, where the Bangsamoro regional capitol is located.

Macacua also informed reporters on Thursday about his having extended, via a written designation dated April 15, the tenure, as regional health minister, of the physician-ophthalmologist Kadil Sinolinding Jr., who is also a member of the 80-seat BARMM parliament.

Copies of Macacua’s order for Sinolinding, an eye specialist trained in India, to continue managing the Ministry of Health-BARMM were received by media outfits in Cotabato City and nearby provinces in Region 12 on Wednesday.

“He enjoys the trust and confidence of the Bangsamoro regional leadership. The Ministry of Health has been functioning smoothly, efficiently with him at his helm,” Macacua told reporters on Thursday.

Local executives in BARMM, including the governors Mamintal Adiong Jr. of Lanao del Sur and Mujiv Hataman of Basilan and two mayors, Bruce Matabalao of Cotabato City and his counterpart in Lamitan City, Roderick Furigay, had separately told reporters that they are thankful to Macacua for having retained Sinolinding as regional health minister.