Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Historical Background
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Historical Background
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao: Historical Background
Looking back into history, it cannot be denied that the people of Mindanao have always looked
forward to shaping their destiny through self-determination and self-rule.
Mindanao saw the rise of the first political units ruled by the early datus. Major socio-political
changes however, happened when Sheik Makdum, an Arab missionary, came and introduced
Islam in Mindanao in the 13th century and followed by Shariff Kabunsuan in the 15thcentury.
Thus, Islamic communities were formed throughout Mindanao, a situation eventually uniting the
Mindanao mainland with its sub-urban islands with the formation of the Islamic Sultanates under
one Supreme Council.
The greater majority the converted to Islam co-existed peacefully, socially, economically,
political and even culturally with their highlander neighbors.
The united stance adopted by Muslims had become the shield by which the Mindanaons repelled
the influences of foreign domination which the Spaniards, the Americans and the Japanese tried
to impose on them.
In the early 1900’s, the Manila government opened Mindanao, dubbed as “The Land of
Promise”, to settlers who were welcomed to share the fruits of its vast and rich natural resources.
The influx of settlers, majority of whom came from nearby Visayas, made Mindanao a place of
diversified groups whose ethnicity, culture, traditions and beliefs never became a source of
misunderstanding, apprehensions and even fears among the early Mindanaons.
The situation changed when land grabbing and social injustices were committed by some
deceiving groups against the region’s peace-loving people. These reprehensible acts made the
people question the motives of the government.
In February 1973, the Mindanao problem escalated into an armed conflict, involving the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF) Mujahideen and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The conflict led to the death of thousands of innocent people, the displace of tens of thousands
more, and the destruction of billions of pesos worth of property. All these could have been
avoided if the government considered the plight of the Mindanaons, which raged on for years
even with the conduct of peace talks.
Finally, on July 7, 1975, the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential Decree No.
742 and Letter of Instruction 290 creating Western and Central Mindanao regions in Mindanao
and establishing the Office of the Regional Commissioner in both regions.
Hostilities, however, continued. The military and the MNLF persisted with their armed
confrontations.
The Situation attracted the attention of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), which
intervened to find solutions to by sponsoring a series of negotiations between the Philippine
Government and the MNLF.
The intervention lead to the signing fo the Tripoli Agreement between the Philippine
Government and the MNLF in Tripoli, Libya on December 23, 1976.
Ceasefire was proclaimed in the affected areas of Mindanao, particularly Western and Central
Mindanao regions.
President Marcos, on March 25, 1977, signed Presidential Proclamation No. 1628 forming an
autonomous region in Southern Philippines.
The people, however, opted to retain the original political subdivisions of Western and Central
Mindanao regions in a referendum – plebiscite on April 17, 1977.
On may 7, 1977, Presidential Proclamation 1628-A was issued adopting the wishes of the
people. This did not appease the Bangsamoro Fronts, which called the Autonomous regions as a
unilateral implementation by the Manila government of the Tripoli Agreement and, as such, was
not recognized by the Mujahideen.
On July 25, 1979, Batas Pambansa No. 20 was enacted creating the Regional Autonomous
Government in Western and Central Mindanao regions.
The moves, however, did not stop the hardcore Mujahideen, which had already split up into three
groups – the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Misuari, the Moro Islamic
Liberation From (MILF) under Hashim Salamat, and the MNLF-Reformist under Dimas Pundatu
– from pursuing their revolutionary goals.
This is in spite of success the Philippine government made in attracting back into the folds of the
law a big number of Moro rebels. Many up their arms. Among those who led the MNLF in the
struggle but later joined government were the pioneering top commanders of the MNLF.
President Corazon C. Aquino, after fall of the Marcos administration, pursued a more vigorous
approach to solve the Mindanao problem. She met MNLF Chairman Nur Misuary in Jolo, Sulu
and followed this up with peace negotiations. All were formalized by the Jeddah Accord on
January 3, 1987, which focused on the full implementation of the Tripoli Agreement.
The Aquino government, even as the talks failed, sought the creation of the Autonomous Region
in Mindanao (ARMM) by providing the 1987 Philippine Constitution and directly ordered to
convene the Ad hoc Council of the Regional Consultative Council, the body tasked to draft the
Organic Act that would serve as the operations manual of the ARMM.
The Organic Act was signed into law, as Republic Act 6734, by President Aquino on August 1,
1989 and a plebiscite was conducted in the proposed area of the ARMM on November 17, 1989.
Of the 13 proposed provinces, only four; Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi
joined the ARMM.
The first set of ARMM officials were elected on February 17, 1990. Due to electoral protest, the
ARMM formally started to function only on July 9, 1990 following the oath taking of Atty.
Zacaria A. Candao as First Regional Governor of ARMM.
By and large, the ARMM could not have taken shape without the blood, sweat and tears; the
sacrifices and the hardships the Bangsamoro mujahideen and the Bangsamoro people struggled
for self-determination for a more developed and more peaceful place to live.
Thus, the ratification of Republic Act #9054, an act to strengthen and expand the Organic Act for
the ARMM amending for the purpose. RA #6734, entitled “An Act Providing for the ARMM” as
ameded in September 2001 plebiscite paved the way for the expansion of the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao to include the Province of Basilan and City of Marawi.
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao seeks to fulfill only two general objectives:
Development and Peace for its 2.8 million people in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del
Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and City of Marawi.
The new expanded ARMM is headed by one (1) Regional Governor, one (1) Regional Vice
Governor and twenty four (24) representatives of Regional Legislative Assembly representing
the eaight districts of the five provinces and one city of the region.
The new regional leadership has ushered new hopes for the expanded Automous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and has commenced governing the region with clear policy
guidelines and development directions anchored on transforming the autonomous regional
government toward responsive governance.
https://www.nnc.gov.ph/40-10-kumainments/324-armm-history
The people of Mindanao have always looked forward to shaping their destiny through self-
determination and self-rule. They have seen the rise of the first Filipino barangays ruled by the
early datus. Major socio-political changes, however, happened when Shariff Kabunsuan, an Arab
missionary, came and introduced Islam in Mindanao in the 15th century. This led to the
formation of Islamic communities and the formation of the Islamic Sultanate, under one Supreme
Council and eventually united the Mindanao mainland with its sub-urban islands. The united
Muslim Mindanaoans repelled the influence of foreign domination particularly the Spaniards,
Americans and Japanese.
It was President Ramon Magsaysay who opened Mindanao to Christian settlers, majority were
from the Visayas, to share Mindanao's rich natural resources. The influx of settlers made
Mindanao a place of diversified groups whose ethnicity, culture, traditions and beliefs never
became a source of misunderstanding among the early Mindanaoans.
The situation changed when unscrupulous persons, mostly politicians and businessmen, took
advantage of the people's low economic state. Land grabbing and social injustices were
committed against the region's peace-loving people which forced them to rise in protest and
revolt against the government.
In February 1973, the Mindanao problem escalated into an armed conflict involving the Moro
National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Philippine Armed Forces. The conflict led to the
death and displacement of thousands of innocent people.
On July 7, 1975, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 742 and Letter
of Instruction 290 creating the Western and Central Mindanao regions and establishing the
Office of the Regional Commissioner (ORC) in both regions. Hostilities, however, continued
with armed confrontations between the MNLF and the military.
The situation led the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to intervene which led to the
signing of the Tripoli Agreement between the Philippine Government and the MNLF in Tripoli,
Libya on December 23, 1976.
In compliance with the Tripoli Agreement, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed Presidential
Proclamation No. 1628 on 25 March 1977 forming an Autonomous Region in Southern
Philippines.
This was subjected to a referendum-plebiscite on 17 April 1977. However, the people opted to
retain the original geo-political subdivisions of Westem and Central Mindanao. This did not
appease the Bangsa Moro Fronts which called the autonomous region as a unilateral
implementation by the Manila govemment of the Tripoli Agreement and, as such, was not
recognized by the mujahideens.
On July 25, 1979, Batas Pambansa No. 20 was enacted creating the Regional Autonomous
Government in Westem and Central Mindanao region. This, however, did not still conciliate the
mujahideens who still pursued their revolutionary ideals.
In 1986, President Corazon C. Aquino pursued a more vigorous approach to solve the Mindanao
problem through peace negotiations. The Jeddah Accord signed on February 3, 1987 by the
Philippine Govemment and the MNLF, was a commitment to continue the talks on the full
implementation of a more meaningful regional autonomy.
The Aquino govemment, even the talks failed, sought the creation of the Autonomous Region in
Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) by ensh(ining it in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. President
Aquino convened the Regional Consultative Council tasked to draft the Organic Act for Muslim
Mindanao. In 1988, the Organic Act was finally completed and submitted to the Philippine
Congress for deliberation and approval.
On August 1, 1989, Republic Act No. 6734, otherwise known as the Organic Act of the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, was signed into law by then President Corazon C.
Aquino. On November 17, 1989, a plebiscite was conducted in the proposed areas of ARMM
wherein only four provinces opted to join the area of autonomy. These are the provinces of
Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.
The first set of ARMM officials was elected on February 17, 1990. The ARMM was formally
operated on July 6, 1990 following the oath taking of Atty. Zacada A. Candao as its first
Regional Govemor. The second batch of officials took office on Apdl 02, 1993 wherein
Lininding P. Pangandaman was elected Regional Governor.
On September 2, 1996, the MNLF and the Philippine Government signed the final Peace
Agreement which led to the election of MNLF chairman Nur Misuari as Regional Governor of
ARMM.
The Peace Agreement also paved the way for the creation of the Special Zone of Peace and
Development (SZOPAD) and Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development
(SPCPD) which was established by virtue of Executive Order No. 371 on October 21, 1996 by
President Fidel V. Ramos. Governor Misuari was named SPCPD Chairman.
Meanwhile, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), another Moro armed group, continued
with their struggle. Armed clashes between the military and the MILF escalated to a full war by
the year 2000 displacing some 400,000 persons.
When Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo assumed the Presidency on January 2001 after the ouster
of President Joseph E. Estrada, she reversed the all-out war policy of the Estrada Administration
and initiated peace talks which led to the signing of a ceasefire agreement on June 22, 2001.
To sustain the peace and development efforts in Mindanao and as part of the commitment to the
1996 Peace Agreement, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo supported the September 2001
plebiscite for the ratification of Republic Act 9054, expanding the area of autonomy. The
ARMM is now comprised of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi,
Basilan and the Islamic City of Marawi.
The November 2001 ARMM election installed Dr. Parouk Hussin on January 2002 as Regional
Governor of the expanded ARMM.
Since 2005, Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan has been ARMM Regional Governor.