Marcos orders probe, security boost after BARMM chief ambush

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos gestures as he answers a question during the Foreign Correspondents' Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) forum at a hotel in Manila on August 14, 2026.

AFP / Ted Aljibe

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into the ambush of the convoy of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua in Maguindanao del Norte.

Marcos also directed government agencies to strengthen security in BARMM communities and identify those behind the attack, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Sunday, August 16.

The president condemned the attack and called for calm, saying that the incident should not derail the government's efforts toward democratic governance in BARMM.

“Nananawagan si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na maging mahinahon at pairalin ang pagiging makatao na may respeto sa karapatan lalong-lalo na sa buhay ng bawat kababayan natin,” Castro said.

(President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is calling for calm and urging everyone to uphold humanity and respect for the rights, especially the lives, of every Filipino.)

Macacua was unharmed after gunmen fired assault rifles at his convoy at around 4:45 p.m. Saturday along the national highway in Barangay Bitu, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Three vehicles in the convoy, including the bulletproof Toyota Land Cruiser carrying Macacua, were hit by bullets. No one was hurt in the attack.

The gunfire caused panic among residents in nearby farming communities.

Macacua and his companions were traveling to the Bangsamoro regional capitol in Cotabato City after attending a gathering of supporters of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party in Barangay Gambar, Kabuntalan.

The gathering was capped by Macacua's assumption as chairman of the party, which has candidates for the Bangsamoro Parliament.

Police and military authorities are working together to identify the gunmen.

Police Regional Office-BARMM Director Brig. Gen. Christopher Abecia and acting 6th Infantry Division commander Brig. Gen. Ricky Bunayog said their units are coordinating in the investigation.

Bunayog said military intelligence personnel have sought the help of traditional Moro leaders in Datu Odin Sinsuat to identify those responsible.

Witnesses said the gunmen fled toward a hinterland after firing at the convoy.

The attack happened less than a month before the first elections for the Bangsamoro Parliament on Sept. 14.

The elections will cover BARMM's five provinces — Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi — and three cities: Cotabato, Marawi and Lamitan.

The Commission on Elections, military and police are preparing for the region's first parliamentary elections.

Castro said the incident would not weaken the government's efforts to ensure a smooth transition toward democratic governance in the region. — with a report from John Unson