MANILA – Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) chairman Ghazali Jaafar has passed away at the age of 75.
Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim in an interview with CNN Philippines confirmed the passing of Jaafar at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday morning after being recently diagnosed with kidney problem.
“We are officially announcing the passing away of our brother Ghazali Jaafar, the first vice chairman of the MILF, at the same time the recommended speaker-to-be of the parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,” Ebrahim said.
He added: “Kanina pong 1 a.m., dinala siya sa ilang hospital sa Davao City…He has been suffering from some internal illness for a few months already. He is a big loss and the replacement for his position in the commission will be decided upon soon.”
Aside from his kidney problem, Ebrahim said Jaafar also previously went through angioplasty, a medical procedure to improve blood flow to the heart. He also suffered complications in his abdomen
As with traditional Muslim practice, Ebrahim said, they will be a gathering to express their condolence to the Jaafar family and this will be done starting yesterday until three days.
The Philippine National Police also expressed its deepest sympathy and condolence to the family of Jaafar, who was their “partner of the government in peace-building in Mindanao, and a pillar of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority.”
Jaafar, whose real name is Salih Abo, was the chief of BTC that drafted the Bangsamoro Organic Law that created the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Jaafar was also a member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority which oversees the takeover of BARMM of the regional government./PN
