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By Julmunir I. Jannaral, Correspondent
COTABATO CITY: The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has
declared the late President Cory Aquino as the “Mother of the ARMM”
in a resolution passed on Monday, while the residents were enjoined
to tie a yellow ribbon in their homes.
The Regional Economic Planning and Development
Board meeting at the Office of the Regional Governor of the ARMM
passed the resolution.
The resolution stated that former President
Aquino had left a legacy for the Bangsamoro people through Republic
Act 6734, which she signed into law on August 1, 1989, or ARMM
Organic Act.”
Hence, by operation of law it has established
the present ARMM that elected former Gov. Zacaria Candao of
Maguindanao as the first regional governor of the ARMM.
Regional Gov. Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan said the
people of the Muslim Autonomous Region are forever grateful to Cory
for her role not only in restoring democracy in the country but most
of all for being the “Mother of the ARMM.”
Indeed, President Cory has practically
bequeathed ARMM to the Bangsamoro people who are still dreaming for
a genuine autonomy, according to Hadji Samson Gogo, executive
director of the Bureau of Public Information of the ARMM.
The ARMM regional governor also said he was
saddened by the demise of former President Aquino, while at the same
time sending his deepest condolence to the Aquino family.
“On behalf of the people of the Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao, I and my family express our deepest
condolences to the bereaved family of the late President Corazon
“Cory” C. Aquino.”
“We join the entire nation in mourning the
passing away of this great leader. President Cory shall forever be
an inspiration to every Filipino —an icon of democracy and morally
upright leadership,” Ampatuan said.
She also epitomized the heroism in each of us,
the ARMM regional governor added.
Ampatuan likewise said that he is hoping that
the Filipino nation will continue to live up to the hopes and dreams
of President Cory even with her demise.
The regional governor also enjoined ARMM
residents to tie a yellow ribbon or two in their homes and vehicles
as a form of sympathy to the icon of democracy.
Ustadz Faried Solaiman Adas, chief of the
ARMM’s Madaris (Arabic schools) Education Bureau, said Ampatuan
has also directed the bureau’s more than 700 Islamic missionaries
to lead prayers for Mrs. Aquino’s repose during the traditional
congregational rites at all the mosques on Friday.
In a related development, Chairman Nur Misuari
of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) whom to his followers
in the MNLF fondly calls him as “Maas” or great leader, this
Correspondent can also recall Misuari calling former President Cory
as “Maas Babae” or great woman leader.
To this day, Misuari has still some kind words
on the late President Aquino and said that he has great admiration
on former President Aquino, wherein for the sake of the elusive
peace of Mindanao, she has practically broken protocol by meeting
him as a rebel leader in Jolo, Sulu, in 1986 as against the wish of
some of her former security advisers at that time.
In 1986, Misuari also returned to his camp in
Maimbung, Sulu, after spending several years in the Middle East when
Cory rose to power as President replacing President Ferdinand
Marcos.
It can be recalled that the MNLF chairman with a
thousand of MNLF security forces met President Cory Aquino face to
face and holds their one on one dialogue inside the Carmelite
Sisters Monastery at Gandasuli in Jolo, Sulu.
“President Cory is courageous, true to her
words and a woman with a “palabra de honor” or word of honor.
She went down to Sulu where I arrived also from the jungle of
Maimbung and we met in Jolo and talked about peace,” Misuari said.
“As an icon of democracy and a peace advocate,
the life and works of President Corazon C. Aquino should always be
the guiding light for all Filipinos whether Muslims or Christians,
and should always be a moral booster for everyone to fight and
defend our democratic ideals, according to Misuari who once served
as ARMM regional governor in 1996.
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