COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/15 June 2026) — Security was tightened at the vicinity of the Bangsamoro Government Compound (BGC) in Cotabato City Monday, 15 June 2026 after security officials received reports that several groups were planning to stage a rally in front of the regional office to coincide with a protest action in Manila.
The “peace rally” in Cotabato City that was supposed to echo a call to reinstate MILF Chairman Murad Ebrahim as Chief Minister, however, did not materialize.
Police Col. Jibin Bongcayao, Cotabato City police director, said they received information that a group of at least 50,000 the supposed “peace rally.”
“As part of security preparations and security measures of the City police and the regional police, we decided we deploy personnel to avoid chaos or any form of violence in this area,” Bongcayao said.
The city police director said that they will not stop groups from conducting rallies to air their grievances so long they won’t disrupt the flow of daily activities and as long as these are conducted in designated areas.
The Move for Peace Now, a Pro-MILF civil society group, conducted a rally in Mendiola Street, Manila Monday morning to urge for the reinstatement of Murad Ebrahim as Chief Minister.
The group said Murad is the rightful leader to continue the ongoing transition and ensure the full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB).
The group emphasized that the call for Murad’s return is part of a broader aspiration to protect the gains achieved through decades of negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
They believe that Murad’s leadership is essential to ensure the “faithful implementation” of the CAB and the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
The group is also pushing for the restoration of Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) to its 41-39 composition, in accordance with the peace process framework and the full implementation of Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera/MindaNews)
