COTABATO CITY — The leader of the country’s largest Moro rebel group finally took over the reins of the expanded autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao on Tuesday in formal ceremonies witnessed by thousands. Mujiv Hataman, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which would be replaced by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), officially turned over his responsibilities to Murad Ebrahim in simple ceremonies inside the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center here. “Now the government that we have long dreamed of, fought and struggled for, is finally established in our homeland,” Murad said. ResponsibilitiesMurad said the new Bangsamoro region would take responsibility for the education, health, economic development, strategic infrastructure and moral leadership of the people in the expanded Muslim region. Murad assured ARMM employees that they would remain in office in the meantime, except those whose terms were coterminous with the elected officials.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 26, 2019 21:11 UTC