Lanao del Sur has once again found itself in the spotlight following a controversial and alarming statement from Member of Parliament (MP) Abdullah Macapaar, more popularly known as Commander Bravo, during a political campaign rally of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) in Maguing town on Sunday, April 20, 2025.
Speaking before supporters and local allies, MP Macapaar, a former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander and a known figure in the Bangsamoro struggle, issued a provocative appeal that has sparked widespread concern. In his speech, he openly urged his supporters to resort to violence if necessary to secure victory for UBJP candidates in the upcoming May 12 elections — a statement that directly contradicts the Peace Covenant signed just days earlier.
This peace agreement, brokered by the Philippine National Police (PNP), Commission on Elections (Comelec), and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) last Tuesday, was designed to ensure orderly, honest, and peaceful elections across the province. Political candidates from rival camps had stood side by side to commit publicly to uphold peace, leaving many residents hopeful that this year’s electoral process would rise above the cycle of fear and intimidation that has plagued past elections in the region.
But Macapaar’s words — particularly the chilling suggestion to “go to war” if needed just to win the elections — have shattered that fragile sense of security. The statement has left many residents questioning whether it is even safe to show up at polling stations, knowing that violence could erupt at any moment. The call for armed conflict not only endangers lives but also erodes the very democratic principles the Bangsamoro peace process aims to uphold.
The question now looms: does this bold and reckless endorsement of violence suggest that the UBJP, under the influence of MILF figures like Commander Bravo, is willing to do whatever it takes — even at the cost of bloodshed — just to secure political power?
If this is the future that awaits Bangsamoro elections, it undermines every step the region has taken toward peace and autonomy. The use of violence as a political strategy is not just a betrayal of the peace deal but also a direct insult to the sacrifices made by countless Bangsamoro people who endured years of conflict in the hope of a better, more democratic future.
Violence should never be the language of politics. The people of Lanao del Sur deserve leaders who will defend the peace, not threaten it for the sake of power.