LBO Condemns Alleged Use of Force in Retrieval of Audit Reports from MBHTE
COTABATO CITY (September 18, 2025) — The League of Bangsamoro Organizations (LBO) has strongly condemned what it describes as an illegal and politically motivated operation conducted by members of the Philippine Army, Marines, and other uniformed personnel inside the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education (MBHTE) office at the Bangsamoro Government Center on September 5, 2025.
In a press conference yesterday, the LBO claimed that armed personnel forcibly entered the MBHTE office and confiscated official documents that were under the custody of the Commission on Audit (COA) Auditor. The group alleged that this operation was a clear violation of due process.
“No prior coordination with the MBHTE or the Resident COA Auditor was conducted. No original memorandum authorizing the audit was presented—only a photocopy was shown. No COA personnel were present during the raid, and no mission order was displayed. Instead, armed men handled sensitive government documents,” said LBO spokesperson Mahdie Amella.
Amella emphasized that the incident was unwarranted, especially considering that MBHTE Minister Mohagher Iqbal had already been cooperating with the Special Audit Team and had expressed full support for transparency and accountability in the ministry. According to the LBO, Minister Iqbal had even encouraged an immediate audit to clear his name and uphold the integrity of the MBHTE.
The LBO asserted that the incident was part of a “political demolition job” intended to tarnish Iqbal’s reputation, undermine his leadership, and destabilize the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections in October. The group warned that such actions threaten the trust and peace that have been painstakingly built over years of negotiation between the national government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The LBO also denounced a statement from Atty. Rasul Mitmug, Chairperson of the Blue-Ribbon Committee of the Bangsamoro Parliament, who had previously called on Minister Iqbal to take a leave of absence while the investigation is ongoing.
In closing, the LBO reaffirmed its full support for Minister Mohagher Iqbal, the MBHTE, and the continued pursuit of peace and justice in the Bangsamoro region. (BMN/BangsamoroToday)
