COTABATO CITY — A regional minister in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has warned the public against "fake and misleading" reports regarding a recent peace rally, accusing organizers of inflating crowd sizes and using old photographs.

Jordan Bayam, minister of the interior and local government, said reports claiming roughly 400,000 people attended the 25 June rally organized by the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) were vastly exaggerated.

According to Philippine National Police estimates, the actual attendance was about 30,000.

"The public deserves truthful reporting, not exaggerated narratives designed to create a false impression of overwhelming public support," Bayam said.

Bayam also raised concerns over social media posts featuring drone footage and photographs that allegedly showed a massive turnout.

He claimed several of the widely shared images appeared to be from a 22 June "moral governance and anti-corruption" rally held two days prior by supporters of Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua.

"If verified, using photographs from a different political gathering to portray another event would amount to misleading the public and undermining the integrity of public discourse," Bayam said.

The dispute occurs during a period of escalating political tension between Macacua’s administration and supporters of former Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal.

Iqbal was recently removed from office following legislative inquiries into alleged financial and administrative irregularities at the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education.

The Bangsamoro Parliament is currently investigating the education ministry over the alleged non-remittance of approximately P415 million in Government Service Insurance System contributions affecting around 10,000 employees.

Lawmakers are also investigating an unauthorized bank account that allegedly held P4.9 billion in deposits, as well as prolonged delays in hiring tens of thousands of teachers.

Bayam urged media organizations, social media users, and political factions to verify information before sharing it, noting that misinformation during a sensitive political period deepens divisions and distracts from core governance issues.

"The people of BARMM are best served when public discussion is based on verified facts instead of manufactured narratives," Bayam said.

Organizers of the 25 June Peace Rally did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the attendance figures or the social media images.