Prospects for Peace in East Asia:
PCIJ’s 20th anniv conference

September 30 2009
1:30 pm

The afternoon session begins with an address by Atty Nasser Marohomsalic, convenor of the Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy) on the prospects for peace in East Asia. Atty Marohomsalic is also a convenor of the Philippine council for Islam and Democracy.

Atty Marohomsalic started with a brief backgrounder on the Bangsamoro people, the name given to the 13 ethnolinguistic tribes throughout Mindanao. Marohomsalic pointed out that there were more muslim communities in the country when the Spaniards arrived during the 13th century than most of us believe. For example, Atty Marohomsalic says that even Lubao town in Pampanga, the hometown of President Arroyo, was an Islamic community. In fact, Atty Marohomsalic says that the Macapagals were actually muslims who surrendered to Legaspi in order to avoid manual labor and payment of tributes to the Spaniards.

Marohomsalic stressed that the Bangsamoro people did not want to be included in the proposed Philippine Republic when the 1935 Constitution was being drawn up. In fact, Moro leaders sent representatives to the Consitutional Convention to appeal that their lands not be included in the new Philippine Republic. As such, Marohomsalic stressed, the Bangsamoro were only forced to join the Philippine Republic.

That incident was just one of several key turning points in the Bangsamoro struggle. Others include the abrogation of traditional ownership of lands by Moros in Mindanao in favor of the Torrens title, and the influx of Christian settlers as encouraged by successive Philippine governments.

Tedjabayu Sodjono from Indonesia asks Atty. Marohomsalic his opinion on Indonesia’s possible role in finding a solution to the problems in the southern Philippines.

Atty Marohomsalic comments on proposals to add a ninth ray to the sun in the Philippine flag to represent the muslims who fought against the Spaniards.

The Japan Foundation’s Ben Suzuki engages Atty Marohomsalic during the question-and-answer portion.