Groups rally for good governance in Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, BARMM, Philippines — Thousands joined a peaceful rally here on Monday, demanding good governance, stronger accountability, institutional reforms and continued investigations into alleged corruption within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Abu Hamza, spokesperson for rally organizer Movement to Support Moral Governance and Fight Against Corruption, said the gathering aimed to urge BARMM leaders, particularly members of the interim Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) or Bangsamoro Parliament, to continue investigating alleged anomalies hounding the seven-year-old regional bureaucracy.

“We urge authorities to continue examining allegations of irregularities in government programs and projects and to implement reforms that would help prevent corruption and ensure that public resources are used for their intended purposes,” Hamza said during a news conference following the rally.

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The morning rally was held along Gov. Gutierrez Avenue leading to the grounds of the Bangsamoro Government Center, the seat of government of the five-province, three-city BARMM.

Cotabato City Mayor Mohammad “Bruce” Matabalao suspended classes in all levels in public and private schools due to the large rally.

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He also ordered the deployment of police, Philippine Marines, the Public Safety Office and the City Traffic Management Command to the rally site and other strategic areas to ensure public safety.

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Campign vs ‘corruption’

Hamza said the group mounted the rally to wage “a genuine campaign against corruption and hold accountable those responsible for fund anomalies,” without naming names.

The participants included representatives from civil society organizations, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, Bangsamoro Islamic Women Auxiliary Brigade, Indigenous Peoples, women’s organizations, religious leaders and members of various political parties.

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Last week, an intensified oversight committee hearing by the Bangsamoro Parliament led to the discovery of alleged irregularities involving the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE).

Hamza said the alleged anomalies identified by BTA committees included delays in program implementation, unfinished infrastructure projects, unutilized funds, procurement concerns and other governance issues.

However, Mohager Iqbal, former MBHTE chief, denied that irregularities occurred during his tenure from 2019 to May 2026. He was replaced by BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua in a concurrent capacity.

Explanations sought

Regional lawmakers have sought explanations from concerned ministries and agencies to ensure that public funds are properly managed, projects are completed on time and government services reach their intended beneficiaries.

Organizers said Monday’s gathering reflected growing public support for accountability measures and reforms aimed at improving government performance across BARMM.

Among the issues raised during the rally were stronger safeguards against corruption, responsible stewardship of public funds, faster and more effective implementation of government programs and sustained efforts to strengthen transparency, oversight and accountability across all ministries.

Participants also lauded Macacua for supporting efforts to address governance concerns.

The rallyists likewise recognized the contributions of former Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim in laying the foundations for the Bangsamoro government, expressing hopes that ongoing reform efforts would further strengthen those gains.

Member of Parliament Naguib Sinarimbo praised the group for responding to and supporting Macacua’s call for moral governance and the fight against corruption.

The moral governance policy was espoused by Ebrahim, also chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), during his term from March 2019 to March 2025.

Sinarimbo said the parliament would continue its inquiry into alleged anomalies in the MBHTE and other BARMM ministries.

The United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the MILF’s political party, clarified that it was not part of Monday’s rally.

Operations of BARMM regional offices inside the Bangsamoro Government Center remained unhampered by the rally, which ended at about 10 a.m.

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Police Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, estimated the rally crowd at 70,000. /cb