Sultanates Still Esteemed In Mindanao

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 12): Sultanates Still Esteemed In Mindanao

The traditional respect for sultans and datus continues among Moros from Basilan to Tawi-Tawi many years after the Philippine Constitution stopped to officially recognize them as royalty.

In fact, there are sultans in the Lanao Region “who enjoy more respect from the people than the political leaders,” said Atty. Bayan Balt, president of the Marawi City and Lanao del Sur Chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).

The problem with the sultanate is that it was “destroyed by the Philippine Constitution” when its framers prohibited the granting of royal titles.

“Our political institutions such as the sultanate should be revived and recognized by the government,” said Balt. “It is only in the Philippines that the sultanate is not recognized but in other countries it is.”

The Sultanate of Sulu has been all over the news over the Sabah stand-off that appears to have ended in a bloody massacre.

But there are other “reigning sultans” in the Lanao region and Maguindanao.

The Maranaws (People of the Lake) have the “16 Royal Houses, Sultanate of Lanao Region.” It is chaired by Sultan Buzar of Masiu, Topaan D. Disomimba.

The Maguindanaons have three main sultanates: the Sultanate of Maguindanao under Sultan Datu Guiwan Mastura, a descendant of Sultan Kudarat; the Sultanate of Rajah Buayan led by Sultan Datu Pax Mangudadatu, and Sultanate of Kabuntalan headed by Sultan Pinandatu M’luk Uko.

While the Sulu sultanate have a highly contentious, and public, dispute over Sabah (formerly North Borneo), sultanates in the Lanao Region and Maguindanao have been low-key and do not have much of a tug-of-war on who should be the sultans.

Many descendants of the Sulu sultanate have come forward presenting themselves as the “real” sultan.

Among the many claimants to the Sulu throne is one who calls himself “Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram of Sulu, 35th Sultan of Sulu” in his own website.

He is a son of the late Sultan Mahakuttah Kiram, the 34th to reign.

According to Sultan Muedzul-Lail Tan Kiram’s website, his father was the “last recognized Sultan of Sulu” by the Philippine government through Presidential Memorandum Order 427 issued in 1974.”

On the Sabah standoff, Tan Kiram urged his uncle, Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and Malaysia “to put end to the violence in Sabah and encouraging dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the situation.”

He said he was sad to hear that Malaysia had tagged as “terrorists” the forces of his uncle in Sabah.
Tan Kiram offered himself as an “independent negotiator,” saying he was in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

Meanwhile, the sultanate under Kiram III recognizes the rights of other heirs to the Sulu throne, but they are far from the line of succession.

Kiram III’s spokesman, Abraham J. Idjirani, made this clear, saying that at present Kiram III is the sultan.

http://www.mb.com.ph/article.php?aid=3309&sid=1&subid=2