DEPUTY Minority Leader and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman on Tuesday said that while he applauds the recent Supreme Court decision validating the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), he is saddened that the ruling included the exclusion of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

“Habang ikinagagalak natin ang desisyon ng Mataas na Hukuman ukol sa BOL, hindi natin maikukubli ang ating kalungkutan at pagkadismaya sa hatol na hindi bahagi ng Bangsamoro region ang Sulu,” declared Hataman, a former governor of the now-defunct ARMM.

“Kahit ilang ulit nating balikan ang kasaysayan, ang Sulu ang duyan ng pakikibaka para sa isang malayang Bangsamoro. Mula noon hanggang ngayon, ito ay nananatiling simbolo ng paglaban ng mga Moro laban sa panunupil,” he added.

Lanao del Sur Rep. Zia Alonto Adiong said “It is with profound sadness that we receive the recent Supreme Court decision, which effectively severs the province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).”

Adiong said “Sulu has been a foundational part of the autonomous government 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.”

“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. The plebiscite question posed to the core areas, including Sulu, was clear: “Payag ba kayo na pagtibayin ang Batas Republika Blg. 11054 na kilala din bilang ‘Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’? It was a choice for or against the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), not a question of inclusion or exclusion. 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,” he said.

“While we respect the decision of the Supreme Court, the loss of Sulu leaves a deep void in the Bangsamoro homeland. These are political tremors that endanger the very foundation of a unified Bangsamoro. With the departure of Sulu, the remaining provinces must now ask themselves whether the door has been opened for their own departure. The cracks in this collective struggle for autonomy may undo the decades of effort that brought us to this point. We all find ourselves back in square one. We hold close the hope that our shared history, struggles, and aspirations will continue to bind us together, even in the face of this separation. We will continue to work toward a future where all Bangsamoro people, regardless of boundaries, can prosper and thrive in unity.

In this time of difficulty, we call upon our brothers and sisters in Sulu and throughout the Bangsamoro to remain steadfast, to remember our shared vision of peace, and to continue advocating for what is best for all Bangsamoro,” Adiong said.

The Supreme Court’s ruling has confirmed the constitutional validity of the BOL, which established the BARMM in 2019.

However, the court’s decision excluded Sulu from the BARMM boundaries, a development that has sparked mixed reactions across the region.

“Ang kwento ng mga magigiting na mandirigma ng Sulu ay bahagi ng naratiba ng Bangsamoro. Maraming bayani at mujahideen mula sa Moro National Liberation Front ay galing sa lalawigan ito,” Hataman said.

“Kaya ang pagkakahiwalay ng Sulu mula sa Bangsamoro ay tahasang pagtanggi sa malaking kontribusyon at importanteng papel na ginampanan ng mga taga-lalawigan sa kasaysayan ng rehiyon,” he continued.

Hataman also reflected on the impact of the court’s decision on the broader Bangsamoro movement.

“Hindi kumpleto ang Bangsamoro kapag wala ang Sulu. Isang malaking dagok ito sa aming pagsisikap na maisulong ang pagkakaisa at pagkakabuklod-buklod ng mga lalawigan sa rehiyon,” Hataman said.

“At sa aming mga puso’t isipan, hindi mabubura ang Sulu sa kasaysayan ng Bangsamoro. Patuloy natin silang sasamahan sa kanilang pakikipaglaban sa kanilang karapatan bilang Bangsamoro at Bangsa Sug,” Hataman added.