Solons rue Sulu exclusion from BARMM

BASILAN Rep. Mujiv Hataman has welcomed a recent Supreme Court (SC) decision validating the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

However, Hataman said he is saddened that the ruling excluded Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“While we are happy with the decision of the High Court regarding the BOL, we cannot hide our sadness and disappointment with the verdict that Sulu is not part of the Bangsamoro region,” Hataman said in Filipino.

“No matter how many times we go back in history, Sulu is the cradle of the struggle for an independent Bangsamoro. From then until now, it remains a symbol of the Moro people’s resistance against oppression,” he added.

The SC ruling confirmed the constitutional validity of the BOL which established the BARMM in 2019.

But the decision excluded Sulu from the BARMM territories, a development that has sparked mixed reactions across the region.

Hataman also reflected on the impact of the SC verdict on the broader Bangsamoro movement.

“The Bangsamoro is not complete without Sulu. This is a big blow to our efforts to promote the unity and bonding of the provinces in the region,” he said.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong shared Hataman’s disappointment.

“Sulu has been a foundational part of the autonomous experiment in our region. Alongside Lanao del Sur, Sulu was one of the original provinces that formed the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), embodying the aspirations of our people for self-governance, peace, and development,” said Adiong.

“We in Lanao del Sur understood that the former ARMM voted as one—transitioning into the BARMM as a united front, not as separate provinces,” he added.

Adiong stressed that “Sulu and its people have always been central to the cause for autonomy.”

“It was their bravery that ignited the fire that would ultimately forge the BARMM. The struggles and sacrifices of the Tausūg have laid the groundwork for the freedoms we now enjoy. Their unwavering commitment to our shared dream of autonomy and peace is deeply ingrained in the history of the Bangsamoro,” Adiong clarified.

“While we respect the decision of the Supreme Court, the loss of Sulu leaves a deep void in the Bangsamoro homeland,” he said.

Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “BARMM solons welcome Supreme Court verdict on Bangsamoro, regrets exclusion of Sulu.”