Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua was elected Bangsamoro chief minister on Friday, October 30, ending seven years of transitional governance in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

He won 51 votes in the 80-member Bangsamoro Parliament, defeating former interim chief minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, who received 27. One lawmaker abstained and another was absent.

The vote was held during the first session of the first regular parliament in Cotabato City.

Macacua, who represents the third parliamentary district of Maguindanao del Norte under the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), had served as interim chief minister since March 2025.

The BFP topped the September 14 elections with 31 seats, short of the 41 needed for a majority, so the chief minister was decided by the parliament’s vote.

Ebrahim chairs the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the United Bangsamoro Justice Party.