27 Facts About Murad Ebrahim

Murad Ebrahim lost both of his parents at a young age; his mother when he was just one year old and his father when he was 13 years old.

Murad Ebrahim started his elementary studies when he was seven years old and completed the six-year program in five years.

Murad Ebrahim entered the Cotabato Public High School in Cotabato City for his high school studies in 1960.

Murad Ebrahim was granted a scholarship in Notre Dame by the Commission on National Integration and pursued a course on civil engineering.

Murad Ebrahim dropped out of college to join the underground movement which fought against Christian paramilitary groups and security forces during the administration of then-president Ferdinand Marcos allegedly targeting Muslims.

Murad Ebrahim adopted "Murad" as his nom de guerre when he joined the Moro resistance against the government.

Murad Ebrahim first got involved in the underground Moro secessionist movement as early as 1968 prior to fully committing in 1970.

Murad Ebrahim was recruited into the Moro National Liberation Front in 1968 and was part of the "Top 300", a second batch of MNLF trainees sent to Malaysia.

Murad Ebrahim was appointed a zonal commander with his area of assignment covering 15 municipalities.

Murad Ebrahim led the group's Kutawato Revolutionary Committee in fighting against government forces and the Ilaga paramilitary group in Central Mindanao.

Murad Ebrahim was Military Chairman of Kutawato from 1974 until 1978 when he was promoted as Region Chairman.

When Hashim Salamat organized a faction within the MNLF, Murad Ebrahim was appointed chairman of the Ad Hoc Coordinating Committee to lead the faction's activities in Mindanao, while Salamat is abroad.

Murad Ebrahim left the MNLF due to ideological differences along with Hashim Salamat who formed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Murad Ebrahim developed a reputation within the MILF as one of its top guerrilla commanders.

Murad Ebrahim served as vice chair for military affairs and as chief of staff of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the armed wing of the MILF before he was appointed as MILF chairman in mid-2003 to replace MILF founder Salamat who died within the same year.

Murad Ebrahim served as the group's chief negotiator in talks with the Philippine national government.

Murad Ebrahim was nominated by his group, the MILF, to be the chief minister of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority which would serve as the interim government in the region.

On February 22,2019, Murad Ebrahim was appointed and sworn in by Duterte as the interim chief minister of the newly formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Murad Ebrahim leads the 80-member BTA, which will govern the five-province Bangsamoro region.

At the official turnover of the ARMM to BARMM on February 26,2019, Murad Ebrahim announced the members of the first Bangsamoro Cabinet, with himself as concurrent minister of public works and highways.

Murad Ebrahim's government pursued a policy of promoting "moral governance", which Ebrahim says based on "moral values of Islam" as a response to corruption and failed governance in the former ARMM.

On February 8,2022, Murad Ebrahim ordered the ministers and their deputies of his cabinet to tender courtesy resignation while the director general of each ministry were directed to temporarily take over.

Murad Ebrahim retained his position as interim Chief Minister when President Bongbong Marcos appointed a new set of members for the BTA in August 2022.

Amid former President Duterte's call for the secession of Mindanao from the Philippines in January 2024, Murad Ebrahim released a statement expressing support for the incumbent administration of President Marcos and declared himself committed to the peace process and setting the foundation of an autonomous Bangsamoro region.

Murad Ebrahim reportedly resigned as chief minister on March 3,2025 to focus on the campaign for the October 2025 Bangsamoro Parliament election.

Al Haj Murad Ebrahim is married to Hadja Lupia Ebrahim, with whom he has two children.

On March 14,2015, controversy on the citizenship of Murad Ebrahim arose when Philippine former interior secretary Rafael Alunan III accused him of being a citizen of Malaysia.