Cotabato City:Lawmakers in the Bangsamoro autonomous region of the southern Philippines have elected Abdulraof "Sammy Gambar" A. Macacua as chief minister. This election signifies the end of more than seven years of interim governance, transitioning to an elected administration.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, Macacua received 51 votes to defeat Murad Ebrahim during the initial plenary session of the Bangsamoro Parliament, which consists of 80 members. The session took place in Cotabato City, the regional capital. One lawmaker was not present, and another abstained from voting.

The assembly also chose lawyer Amer Zaakaria "Mikee" A. Rakim as speaker with 51 votes. Following the vote, both officials were sworn into office. This event occurred after 79 of the 80 lawmakers were sworn in earlier on Friday, following the region's first parliamentary elections on September 14.

The vote is a significant step in a long-standing peace process that resulted in the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in 2019. Previously, the region was under interim administration led by Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Macacua, who previously served as chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, took over from Ebrahim in March 2025 after being appointed chief minister by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The elections are a part of the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, facilitating the shift from conflict to parliamentary governance.

The new parliament includes 40 regional party representatives, 32 district representatives, and eight sectoral representatives. Macacua's Bangsamoro Federalist Party won 16 seats, while Ebrahim's United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) secured 15.