The norm for politicians in Muslim Mindanao could be more particularly religious for ‘moral governance’ if we leave former liberation front leaders to their own devices. If religion were to intrude into the ‘government-of-the-day politics’ can it be far beyond
(Lecture prepared by Datu Michael Ong Mastura for the launch of his book “The Rulers of Magindanao in Modern History, 1515-1903: Continuity and Change in a Traditional Realm in the Southern Philippines” at Faber Hall, Ateneo de Manila University in
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews /19 August) – These preliminary notes on the Justice System provisions of Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL, Article X) is prompted by queries referred to the author. BOL has created the legal apparatus
The Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat legacy foundation madrasah is a nonsectarian, privately governed Islamic academy with collegiate status. Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy (SKIA) hosts an accredited four-year degree granting commuter campus located in Sultan Kudarat municipality, [[1]] Maguindanao province, [[2]]
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews /02 February) — The time to vacillate is over. If asked to name the most definitive policy statement of President Duterte about doing justice to the Bangsamoro, it is understandable if a layman replied: Wala po siya
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/ 24 May) — A larger question before Congress about the Bangsamoro is how members as “policymaker” (rather than that suggested by the nomenclature “lawmaker”) should decide on changes to the constitutionally mandated autonomous regional entity with policy
Lawmakers and policymakers before the start of the sponsorship for the Draft BBL could debate the central question that begs interpretative reservations about the Framework of Bangsamoro Agreement (FAB) and Comprehensive Bangsamoro Agreement (CAB) in respect to the Government’s consent
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/27 March) — One year ago today, the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro was signed at Malacanang Palace. How can we make headway in enacting the BBL (Bangsamoro Basic Law) when Congress appears to be micromanaging a process for
A couple of days after the national dailies unloaded the Aquino-Murad Tokyo episode that began on the front page, the newspaper readership in general has not lost interest in it as an event in foreign policy. Websites uploaded it with
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/19 August) — In the Philippines, cynicism is common in journalism but weirdness is routinely in politics. It was more than cynical for Armando Doronila (PDI, 17 August 2011), a well-respected columnist and long-time opinion maker, to react
Datu Michael O. Mastura Senior Member of the MILF Panel in Talks with the GPH [*Delivered at the Forum sponsored by the Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) and the UP Institute of Islamic Studies (UPIIS) on March 23,
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/24 April) — What is the implication to us Muslims in Mindanao when U.S. President Barack Obama spoke in Europe in unmistakable language: “We will never be at war with Islam.” America is, of course, not here engaged in a war against Muslims. The White House is disengaging a superpower from a foreign policy that has so divided the world seen through the neo-cons’ perspective of “us-versus-them” filter.
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/11 April) — There is, as of this writing, a new lease of leadership that augurs well for Kuala Lumpur in exercising good offices. On the first day of April, after the King accepted Ahmad Badawi’s resignation, Najib Abdul Razak was elevated to the depth of the premier post. A swift swing can make political sense in parliamentary politics. Prime Minister Najib has got pedigree and personality. With a political career primed to navigate a ‘point-counterpoint dynamics’ it was played out inside and outside UMNO—from post-Mahathir era to the Badawi-transition period.
