MANILA — Coalition talks may be needed to choose the first elected chief minister of the Muslim-dominated autonomous region in the southern Philippines, with unofficial results suggesting no single bloc will dominate the new 80-member parliament, Reuters reported Tuesday.
With 98.56% of party-list votes counted, a camp aligned with Abdulraof Macacua — a former Moro Islamic Liberation Front commander appointed interim chief by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in 2025 — led with 35.2%, ahead of the bloc associated with longtime MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim at 32.4%, according to the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting. The BARMM Grand Coalition held 20.5% and could tip negotiations.
Neither camp appeared likely to reach the 41 seats needed for a majority, said Benedicto Bacani of the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, who argued MILF faction cooperation would best serve peace and stability. Turnout was about 80%, with roughly 1.8 million of 2.39 million registered voters casting ballots.
The vote is widely viewed as the most significant milestone since a 2014 peace deal with the MILF paved the way for greater autonomy after a conflict that killed more than 120,000 people and displaced about 2 million.
Sources: Reuters
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