# Abdulraof Macacua

Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua, also known by his nom de guerre Sammy Gambar, is a Filipino politician who is the Governor of Maguindanao del Norte.

## Early life

Abdulraof Abdulraof Macacua was born on September 13, 1957, to Salma B. Macacua and Macacua W. Tubo-Tubo in Gambar in Kabuntalan, Cotabato (now in Maguindanao del Norte).

## Moro Islamic Liberation Front

In 1971, Macacua joined the Moro independence movement and adopted the nom de guerre Sammy Gambar. He fought for self-determination of the Moro people under the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) armed wing, the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF). He underwent training both within the Philippines and abroad and rose the rank of the MILF. He later became Chief-of-Staff of the BIAF and a member of the MILF Peace Negotiating Panel which engaged in peace talks with the Philippine national government. He also became a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, a government body tasked to create an organic law for a Bangsamoro autonomous region.

## Bangsamoro government
### Environment minister

Macacua became part of the regional government of Bangsamoro which superseded the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). He was appointed as part of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and became a member of the interim Bangsamoro Parliament. As part of the Bangsamoro Cabinet he was tasked to head the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy and serve as concurrent Executive Secretary. As environment minister, he overlooked the implementation of the Kayod sa Bangsamoro program, which encouraged backyard farming in the region.

### Interim chief minister

President Bongbong Marcos appointed Abdulraof Macacua as the second interim chief minister of Bangsamoro on March 3, 2025 and will succeed Murad Ebrahim. He is expected to serve until the first regular 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament election which was postponed from May to October. This was confirmed on March 9. He took oath before Marcos on March 12, 2025.
His appointment was questioned by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front through its editorial on its Luwaran newspaper alleging Marcos violated the Bangsamoro Organic Law by appointing an interim chief minister not on the official list proposed by the former rebel group.
Macacua's tasks include is to foresee the reallocation of the parliamentary districts for Sulu, a province excluded from the autonomous region by a Supreme Court decision in 2024.

## Maguindanao del Norte governor

On April 5, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos appointed Macacua as the Officer in Charge (OIC) governor of the newly created Maguindanao del Norte province. The Bangsamoro government initially endorsed Ibrahim Ibay, mayor of Parang, to be appointed to his role but the national government selected him in the end. He was assured by Marcos and Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim that his appointment is legal. But his appointment remains challenged.
On April 28, 2023, President Bongbong Marcos reappointed Macacua as the full pledged governor of the Maguindanao del Norte together with other officials of the provincial government.

## Personal life

Abdulraof Macacua is married to Guianima Balang with whom he has seven children; four boys and three girls.