11/08/2021
The public consultation on the manners and procedures of electing traditional leader sector representative in the Bangsamoro Parliament is a failure acknowledgement to the great role of royalties in Mindanao.
The Bangsamoro territory, which was recognized by the Philippine Government, was ruled long before and prior to the colonization of Spaniards.
The ruling territories was divided into FOUR (4) Major Royal Houses namely Buayan, Sulu, Maguindanao, and Kabuntalan.
If we are going to empower the traditional leaders, preservation of political structure is a must.
Failure to accommodate FOUR representatives, from this sector, will be resulting to clan feud and much more elusive peace.
Which among the three traditional leaders shall represent the sector? Is it HRH Salem Mastura of Maguindanao? Is it HRH Datu Pax Mangudadatu, HRH Amilcosain Camsa, and HRH Sansaluna Pinagayao of Buayan, or HRH Datu Theng U. Gumbila of Kabuntalan?
Failure to acknowledge the significance of "adat-betad" or the manners of collective decision-making will result to worthless laws, policies, and/or representation.
We must not be divided. Our cause to surface the legitimacy of our rights to govern, being descendants from the royal houses, must not be diluted.
We urge the Committee on Electoral Code to implement bottoms-up consultation on the crafting of the manners and procedures in selecting traditional leaders representative. Traditional leaders must be inclusive and well-represented by the royal houses of Buayan, Sulu, Maguindanao, and Kabuntalan.
Now, therefore, we recommend to allocate FOUR REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TRADITIONAL SECTOR IN THE BANGSAMORO PARLIAMENT.