COTABATO, Philippines – Maguindanao del Sur Governor Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu signaled a change of heart on Wednesday, May 3, as she extended an olive branch to her Maguindanao del Norte counterpart and sent feelers to Bangsamoro region officials about her readiness to reconcile and cooperate.

Mangudadatu, who leads an alliance of political clans in the new Maguindanao provinces and Sultan Kudarat, had earlier protested President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s appointment of former Bangsamoro senior minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua as officer-in-charge slash governor of Maguindanao del Norte and other officials.

But a week after she and her allies took their oath as appointed officials in Malacañang on Thursday, April 28, the once fiery Mangudadatu toned down her rhetoric.

At a news conference held in her office in Buluan town, Mangudadatu said, “It’s the end of the political conflict, as we respect the call of the president for unity to pave the way for the peace process to take off.” 

Mangudadatu also accepted and welcomed Macacua’s appointment as her Maguindanao del Norte counterpart, and called him a distant relative who she was looking forward to working with.

She said, “We warmly welcome Governor Macacua. No one can stop his destiny.”

Macacua, who used to be the chief of the armed wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), had earlier said he would be reaching out and was willing to even “kneel” before local political clans for the sake of unity.

The MILF now leads the transitional government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), a product of the peace agreement between the former rebel group and the national government during the administration of the now late president Benigno Aquino III.

Mangudadatu, who heads an alliance of political clans in the two Maguindanao provinces and Sultan Kudarat, has had a strained relationship with BARMM officials.

Mangudadatu is the leader of the Family Alliance Party, while Macacua is the secretary-general of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the party of the MILF. They were rival parties in Maguindanao province during the 2022 elections.

On Wednesday, Mangudadatu expressed her willingness to bury the hatchet and work with BARMM officials to resolve their differences and move forward. 

She also stressed the need for regional and provincial officials to collaborate and respond to the armed conflicts in Maguindanao del Sur.

“We need the regional government to help the provinces. Progress will be next to impossible unless we can do this,” she said.

She said she was optimistic they can reach an agreement and work together in peace and security for the now divided province.

“We have no more opposition. It’s time to embrace peace. Our people will suffer if we do not unite. We call on our supporters and allies to seek reconciliation as well,” said Mangudadatu.

She added, “It is actually a win-win solution. We need to communicate closely this time.” – Rappler.com

Ferdinandh Cabrera is an Aries Rufo Journalism fellow.