Cotabato peace ralliers call for Lagdameo's resignation

COTABATO CITY – Supporters of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and its political party, the Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), sought the resignation of Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Anton Lagdameo during the peace rally here on Thursday.

Held in front of the Bangsamoro Government Center here, rally participants accused Lagdameo of meddling in the affairs of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

READ: Cotabato peace rally: Bangsamoro pact’s full implementation sought

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The group, led by Recover BARMM Now, a coalition of Bangsamoro stakeholders composed of peace advocates, civil society organizations, religious and traditional leaders, youth and women’s groups, professionals, and community organizations, among others, alleged that Lagdameo interfered with the affairs of the regional government, including the removal of MILF chairman Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim as interim chief minister.

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In March last year, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. replaced Ebrahim with Abdulraof Macacua.

Sheik Abdulhadie, Recover BARMM Now spokesperson and convenor of today’s peace rally, said Lagdameo has been “giving ill-advice” to Marcos about BARMM, which, according to him, also led to the reduction of the number of seats allotted to the MILF in the regional parliament.

Under Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the 80-member Bangsamoro Transition Authority or the interim Bangsamoro Parliament must be composed of 41 MILF nominees and the rest by government appointees.

READ: Groups rally for good governance in Cotabato

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In previous statements, the MILF also alleged that Lagdameo contributed to political instability and divisions in the region, including the replacement of Ebrahim as chief minister by Macacua, which the front stressed was done without consultations with the MILF central committee.

Macacua is a member of the MILF central committee, but he was sacked last month as chief of its military arm – the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF).

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Lagdameo has yet to respond to the MILF sympathizers’ call for his resignation.

Last year, Gov. Pax Ali Mangudadatu of Sultan Kudarat also called for Lagdameo’s resignation for his alleged interference in BARMM politics.

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