BARMM Interim Chief Minister Macacua ambushed in Maguindanao del Norte

An apparent bullet mark appears on one of the vehicles that were brought to the Bangsamoro Government Center upon arrival in Cotabato City. MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH CABRERA

COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 15 August 2026) — Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua, Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister, and his entourage escaped unharmed after their convoy was ambushed around 4:45 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Dulangan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

The gunfire hit three vehicles of Macacua’s convoy, but all passengers and security personnel emerged safe and without injury.

Macacua was traveling from Gambar, Mother Kabuntalan, his hometown in Maguindanao del Norte, where he was sworn in as chair and president of the Bangsamoro Federalist Party during its grand proclamation rally earlier on the same day.

The Interim Chief Minister is running for representative of Maguindanao del Norte’s third district in the first Bangsamoro parliamentary elections on September 14.

The situation inside the Bangsamoro Government Center was tense following the attack, with security tightened as authorities conducted a follow-up operation and an investigation into the incident.

In a statement, Cotabato City Mayor Bruce Matabalao condemned the attack “without reservation.”

“Any attack that places lives in danger is deeply troubling and has no place in the Bangsamoro,” he said.

Matabalao asked authorities to conduct a “thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation, and at the same time, urged everyone “to exercise calm and restraint” and not “rush to judgment.” (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)