BANGSAMORO PLEBISCITE. The ballot boxes containing election results from Isabela City, Basilan, are processed during the canvassing of Bangsamoro plebiscite results in Intramuros, Manila on January 25, 2019. Photo by Inoue Jaena/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines – Opening a new chapter in their history, the people of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) voted to ratify the law creating a new Bangsamoro region.

A majority of ARMM voters chose to approve the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) or Republic Act 11054 on Monday, January 21.

On Friday evening, January 25, the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers (NPBOC) announced the official results of the plebiscite, saying the BOL was "deemed ratified."

The Comelec, sitting as the NPBOC, also proclaimed that Cotabato City "shall form part" of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), while the City of Isabela (in Basilan) "shall not form part" of the BARMM.

The results for the entire ARMM are as follows:

“YES” to ratifying Bangsamoro Organic Law - 1,540,017 votes

1,540,017 votes “NO” to ratifying Bangsamoro Organic Law - 198,750 votes

Here are the results for Cotabato City and Isabela City who were asked if they would want to join the BARMM:

Cotabato City - Yes: 36,682 | No: 24,994

Isabela City - Yes: 19,032 | No: 22,441

Ratification means the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM. It will replace the ARMM, which has been called a “failed experiment” because of its dependence on the national government in Metro Manila and accusations of corruption and mismanagement.

ARMM is composed of 5 provinces: Basilan (excluding Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City), Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

The BARMM, meanwhile, will have more powers and will receive an annual unconditional budget allocation, some P60 billion to P70 billion, from the national government – making it more independent and reducing the need for regional officials to “beg” for funding from Manila.

It will also have a parliament, to be composed of representatives from the current ARMM provinces, additional territories that voted to join BARMM, and representatives for women, Christians, and indigenous peoples.

Expanded territory

The BARMM will also be at least one city larger than the ARMM. Cotabato City, the so-called “crown jewel” and main urban hub of the Bangsamoro region, voted to join the BARMM on Monday. (READ: How Cotabato was won)

Twice before, Cotabato City had refused to join ARMM – voting “no” in 1989 and again in 2001.

The hard-won victory of the BOL in the city, however, is being contested by its mayor, Cynthia Guiani Sayadi, the most powerful voice opposing the city’s inclusion in the BARMM.

HISTORIC VOTE. A Moro woman casts her vote in a polling precinct in Simuay Junction Central Elementary School in Simuay, Sultan Kudarat on January 21, 2019, day of the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Organic Law. Photo by Manman Dejeto

Cotabato City's vote, however, does not affect the ratification of the BOL as only a majority of ARMM votes are required for the law's approval.

Because of BOL's ratification, a second plebiscite will be held on February 6 in Lanao del Norte (except Iligan City) and 67 barangays in North Cotabato. Six municipalities in Lanao del Norte and 67 barangays in North Cotabato will be asked if they want to join the BARMM.

However, even if they say yes, their mother local government units will also have to agree to their joining the BARMM. This requirement was among the more contentious provisions in the BOL.

Sulu votes 'no'

Despite the BOL's landslide victory in most provinces in ARMM, island province Sulu voted against the BOL ratification.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Toto" Tan II has filed a petition before the Supreme Court to declare the BOL unconstitutional. He claims Sulu should be allowed to opt out of the BARMM by voting "no," instead of its votes being lumped together with the rest of ARMM.

He also asserted that the Bangsamoro Parliament to be created by the BOL violates the principle of separation of legislative and executive powers stated in the Constitution. The Bangsamoro law states that the chief minister and Cabinet of the Bangsamoro government will be chosen from members of the parliament.

Despite Sulu's "no" vote, it will still become part of BARMM because the BOL states all ARMM provinces votes are to be taken as one, instead of per province.

Hopes for peace

The BOL is a culmination of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s 40-year struggle for autonomy, including on-and-off talks with the government spanning the administration of 4 presidents.

Finally, under the administraiton of Benigno Aquino III, the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which would lay the foundation for the BOL.

A previous version of the BOL, called the Bangsamoro Basic Law, was already being deliberated in Congress on Aquino’s last year in power when the Mamasapano massacre derailed its passage.

Duterte, Mindanao’s first president, resumed efforts with the MILF, this time involving one faction of rival group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). In July 2018, he signed the BOL.

Many Moros have pinned their hopes for peace in Mindanao on the BOL. Clashes between the MILF and government troops have claimed 120,000 lives. With its passage, the MILF will now have to fulfill its promise of decommissioning their 30,000 soldiers and firearms. – with Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com

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</s>'1.5 million said yes to peace, yes to Bangsamoro,' says lawyer Maisara Dandamun Latiph of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission

MANILA, Philippines – Muslims and Christians on Friday, January 25, hailed the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that will create a new Muslim region in the southern Philippines.

"We have a new government, and another journey toward peace," said Dr Susana Salvador Anayatin, commissioner of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, in a speech shortly after the BOL was deemed ratified by the Commissionon Elections (Comelec).

Ratification means the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM. It will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which has been called a "failed experiment" because of its dependence on the national government in Metro Manila and accusations of corruption and mismanagement.

Anayatin described ratification as a new opportunity for Muslims and Christians to push for peace "not only in our time but in succeeding generations."

She then thanked President Rodrigo Duterte, Congress, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the local government units, and other organizations for pushing for the BOL.

"Salamat sa pagsusulong ng batas na 'to na magbibigay-tuldok sa kaguluhan sa Mindanao," Anayatin said. (Thank you for pushing for this law that will end conflict in Mindanao.)

In a separate speech, Lawyer Maisara Dandamun Latiph, who also witnessed the canvassing in Manila, thanked the Comelec for a peaceful and credible Bangsamoro plebiscite. She said, "1.5 million said yes to peace, yes to Bangsamoro."

The European Union (EU) also sent a statement following the ratification of the BOL.

In its statement, the EU Delegation to the Philippines congratulated the Philippine government, the MILF, and the Comelec "for the generally peaceful conduct of the Bangsamoro Organic Law plebiscite on January 21, 2019, before the second phase to be held on February 6, 2019."

"The creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao is a significant milestone in the history of the Philippines," the EU said.

"The EU is prepared to continue to support the implementation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law and to work closely with the relevant stakeholders towards long-lasting peace, development and prosperity for the benefit of Mindanao and the Filipino people," the EU added. – with a report from Pia Ranada/Rappler.com</s>The historic vote creates the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, a more powerful political entity that allows the Bangsamoro people a chance at genuine self-governance

MANILA, Philippines – Opening a new chapter in their history, the people of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) voted to ratify the law creating a new Bangsamoro region.

A majority of ARMM voters chose to approve the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) or Republic Act 11054 on Monday, January 21.

On Friday evening, January 25, the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers announced the official results of the plebiscite, saying the BOL was "deemed ratified."

The results for the entire ARMM are as follows:

Ratification means the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or BARMM. It will replace the ARMM, which has been called a “failed experiment” because of its dependence on the national government in Metro Manila and accusations of corruption and mismanagement.

ARMM is composed of 5 provinces: Basilan (excluding Isabela City), Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao (excluding Cotabato City), Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

The BARMM, meanwhile, will have more powers and will receive an annual unconditional budget allocation, some P60 billion to P70 billion, from the national government – making it more independent and reducing the need for regional officials to “beg” for funding from Manila.

It will also have a parliament, to be composed of representatives from the current ARMM provinces, additional territories that voted to join BARMM, and representatives for women, Christians, and indigenous peoples.

The BARMM will also be at least one city larger than the ARMM. Cotabato City, the so-called “crown jewel” and main urban hub of the Bangsamoro region, voted to join the BARMM on Monday.

Twice before, Cotabato City had refused to join ARMM – voting “no” in 1989 and again in 2001.

The hard-won victory of the BOL in the city, however, is being contested by its mayor, Cynthia Guiani Sayadi, the most powerful voice opposing the city’s inclusion in the BARMM.

Cotabato City's vote, however, does not affect the ratification of the BOL as only a majority of ARMM votes are required for the law's approval.

Because of BOL's ratification, a second plebiscite will be held on February 6 in Lanao del Norte (except Iligan City) and 67 towns in North Cotabato. Six municipalities in Lanao del Norte and 67 barangays in North Cotabato will be asked if they want to join the BARMM.

However, even if they say yes, their mother local government units will also have to agree to their joining the BARMM. This requirement was among the more contentious provisions in the BOL.

Despite the BOL's landslide victory in most provinces in ARMM, island province Sulu voted against the BOL ratification.

Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Toto" Tan II has filed a petition before the Supreme Court to declare the BOL unconstitutional. He claims Sulu should be allowed to opt out of the BARMM by voting "no," instead of its votes being lumped together with the rest of ARMM.

He also asserted that the Bangsamoro Parliament to be created by the BOL violates the principle of separation of legislative and executive powers stated in the Constitution. The Bangsamoro law states that the chief minister and Cabinet of the Bangsamoro government will be chosen from members of the parliament.

Despite Sulu's "no" vote, it will still become part of BARMM because the BOL states all ARMM provinces votes are to be taken as one, instead of per province.

The BOL is a culmination of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s 40-year struggle for autonomy, including on-and-off talks with the government spanning the administration of 4 presidents.

Finally, under the administraiton of Benigno Aquino III, the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB), which would lay the foundation for the BOL.

A previous version of the BOL, called the Bangsamoro Basic Law, was already being deliberated in Congress on Aquino’s last year in power when the Mamasapano massacre derailed its passage.

Duterte, Mindanao’s first president, resumed efforts with the MILF, this time involving one faction of rival group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). In July 2018, he signed the BOL.

Many Moros have pinned their hopes for peace in Mindanao on the BOL. Clashes between the MILF and government troops have claimed 120,000 lives. With its passage, the MILF will now have to fulfill its promise of decommissioning their 30,000 soldiers and firearms. – with Paterno Esmaquel II/Rappler.com</s>Sulu is so far the only ARMM territory to have voted against the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, but this has no impact on the region for now

MANILA, Philippines – Despite already being a part of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the province of Sulu has voted not to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).

But the province will still be part of the new Bangsamoro region.

According to unofficial results from the province’s board of canvassers, the tally on Tuesday, January 22, showed that the votes opposing the creation of a larger, more powerful Muslim region defeated the number of votes in favor of it. (READ: Results: Bangsamoro Plebiscite 2019)

The results are as follows:

The number of “no” votes were 25,896 higher than the “yes” votes. Voter turnout was at 80%.

Because Sulu is already part of ARMM, its voters were asked only if they wanted to ratify the BOL, not if they wanted to join the future Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARRM).

The BOL already includes ARMM as members of the new region.

Also, Sulu's rejection of the law won't matter now because the other ARMM provinces – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi – ratified it during the January 21 plebiscite, based an unofficial results.

The organic law said that ARMM votes are counted as one geographical region, and that if majority of ARMM ratified the BOL, then the law prevails.

This is one of the issues raised by Sulu Governor Abdusakur "Toto" Tan II in his petition before the Supreme Court in October 2018 that questioned the constitutionality of the law. (READ: 6 scenarios for the Bangsamoro vote)

Tan had argued that votes in ARMM should not be counted as one geographical area.

He also protested the lack of an opt-out provision for any ARMM province, insisting that Sulu's votes should not be lumped with the rest.

Sulu had been a hot spot before and during the plebiscite because of the Tan family's fierce opposition to the law and their political influence in the entire province.

The province is also the birthplace and bailiwick of the MILF's rival organization, the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), which signed a peace deal with the Ramos government in 1996.

That agreement paved the way for the election of MNLF chairman Nur Misuari as ARMM governor.

The results from Sulu are not yet official. They still need to be canvassed by the National Board of Canvassers headed by Commission on Elections chief Sheriff Abas, in Manila. – Rappler.com</s>Voters have decisively approved a new Muslim-led region in the Philippines' south, which is hoped will bring a measure of peace after decades of fighting killed thousands and mired the area in poverty. The results, announced Friday, will begin the process of creating new Muslim autonomous region.

About 83 percent of the more than 1.84 million people who voted on Monday in the five provinces of what is currently known as the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao chose to ratify the creation of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

The Commission on Elections added that the southern city of Cotabato, which was not included in the current autonomous region, has voted to join the new entity.

The creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region was a key provision in a peace agreement signed between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters in 2014. A second round of voting will take place on Feb. 6 in two other provinces that are not part of the current 29-year-old autonomous region, which has remained highly dependent on the national government.

President Rodrigo Duterte, himself from Mindanao, has been a staunch supporter of the Bangsamoro and signed the law last year paving the way for the vote.

Under the terms of the law which lays out the region's powers, Bangsamoro will get $950 million in development funds over the next 10 years, as well as a chunk of the tax revenue generated within its borders and national receipts. Manila will keep control over the police, but it is hoped close cooperation on security with the Bangsamoro's leaders will help get a handle on the region's endemic lawlessness.

Muslims have long been seeking for independence or autonomy on Mindanao, which they regard as their ancestral homeland dating back to when Arab traders arrived there in the 13th century.

The Bangsamoro will expand and supersede an existing Muslim-led region which struggled to govern effectively due to limited powers and was hamstrung by alleged corruption.</s>After almost half-a-century of conflict, more than two million Filipinos residing in several Muslim-majority regions of the country cast their votes on the establishment of a new Muslim-dominated entity, known as the Bangsamoro (meaning Moro nation), in the southern island of Mindanao.

The crucial referendum comes six years after the historic peace agreement that ended the decades-long war between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and six months after President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

If approved by the majority in the referendum, the proposed political entity will replace the much smaller Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), an earlier experiment at granting political autonomy to limited numbers of Muslim Filipinos, mostly form the Tausug ethnic group.

The ARMM has largely been deemed a failure, perennially hobbled by misgovernance and rampant corruption, and leaving several Muslim-majority regions outside its scope. Both the Philippine government and the rebels, however, hope that the proposed new entity will be more inclusive, sustainable and more competently governed than its predecessor.

The first phase of the plebiscite was held on January 21, covering the ARMM, the ethnically mixed and prosperous cities of Cotabato and Isabela, where voters were asked whether they approved of or wanted their city to be part of the new Bangsamoro entity.

The election went broadly peaceful and was deemed by international observers as credible. The proposition is expected to pass, though partial, unofficial results show, so far, significant opposition to the establishment of the new Bangsamoro entity in places such as Sulu and Isabela City.

The second phase will take place on February 6, covering Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato and other regions that petitioned to be part of the Bangsamoro.

As the first Filipino president from the island of Mindanao, Duterte made the creation of the Bangsamoro a central theme of his administration. Unlike any of his predecessors and contemporaries, he dedicated both his heart and political capital to ensuring that the Christian-dominated Filipino political elite endorses the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), which was stalled in the Philippine Congress for years.

Surveys suggest that while eight out of 10 Muslim Filipinos favour the creation of the autonomous Muslim entity, among the general population only a small minority (about a third) support the plan.

For centuries, Muslim Moros have faced systematic discrimination and marginalisation in the Catholic-majority Philippines, largely as a result of the heavy influence of Imperial Spain, a former coloniser notorious for its anti-Muslim prejudice and policies. They have been portrayed as the ultimate "other" in the Filipino psyche and were often caricatured as uncivilised and un-Filipino. Proud of their distinct history and cultural traditions, Moros resisted the rule and influence of Christian-majority national government.

In an act of political courage, Duterte, a nominal Christian, made peace in Mindanao a central campaign promise: "If I become president, if Allah gives his blessing before I die, since I am old, I will leave to you all a Mindanao that is governed in peace." He presented himself as the Moro people's president, who will do his utmost to correct "historical injustices" they have been subjected to at the hands of the Filipino government.

In his second year in office, Duterte convinced the Philippine legislature to pass the Bangsamoro law, which, among other things, granted sociocultural and political autonomy to Muslim-majority provinces in the country, including the establishment of Sharia-based courts.

Crucially, he also made sure that enough resources, including a fifth of national internal revenues, are allocated to assist institution building and the process of political transition.

Now, if the "yes" votes win in the ongoing referendum, the Bangsamoro leadership will also enjoy significant fiscal autonomy, having only to remit a quarter (as opposed to 40 percent for other provinces) of its revenues to the national government, which will maintain control over currency and law enforcement.

The MILF leadership, meanwhile, has conscientiously embraced modern governance, educating many of its best and brightest in public administration colleges. They hope to avoid the mistakes of their predecessors in the ARMM by building a more ethnically-inclusive, geographically expansive and competently-run Muslim-majority autonomous region.

While it is likely that the majority of the referendum's participants are going to approve the proposal for the formation of the new Bangsamoro, Duterte and the future rulers of the Bangsamoro still face an uphill battle. Once the new entity is formed, they will have to tackle deep-rooted and complex problems, including high poverty incidence, reconstruction of heavily devastated cities like Marawi and widespread threat of terrorism by armed groups affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Another area of concern is the fate of minority groups. There has been an influx of ultraconservative Wahabi-Salafist influence in Mindanao in recent years, whether through online indoctrination, Islamic preachers, religious ideologues, or transnational organisations hailing from South Asia and the Middle East.

This caused some to fear that the Bangsamoro may adopt an ultraconservative governing model and may even follow the example of Indonesia's Banda Aceh, an autonomous region governed by Islamic law since the early 2000s, where increasingly draconian laws have been enforced, most especially at the expense of LGBT groups and religious minorities.

There is also the threat of intervention by the Philippine Supreme Court, which declared a previous peace agreement as "unconstitutional" on the grounds that it violates the country's territorial integrity and basic democratic principles. And there are doubts as to whether Duterte's successors will build on his efforts and provide necessary support to future leaders of Bangsamoro when push comes to shove.

What's clear, however, is that the Moros have taken a fateful step towards self-determination and, perhaps, even lasting peace and what we are witnessing is a major turning point in the long-tortured history of Mindanao.

The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial stance.</s>A well-organized grassroots campaign, coupled with support from Catholics and the national government, made the big win possible

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Cries of “Allah hu akbar!” (God is great!) rang through the streets of Cotabato City on Tuesday, January 22, after Cotabato City voted to join a new Bangsamoro autonomous region.

At the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, where the board of canvassers proclaimed the "yes" votes had won, Muslims and Christians raised their fists in victory or hugged each other before taking photos of the final results flashed on a wall. All through the night, residents celebrated in the main thoroughfares, with passing car drivers honking their approval.

Such euphoria from supporters of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) comes from the knowledge that their victory was no easy feat.

How did they pull it off? Based on interviews with political observers and leaders of pro-BOL groups, we cite 5 factors:
• Support of Christians and the national government

It helped that the Muslim population in Cotabato City had grown over the years.

As of the 2015 census by the Philippine Statistics Authority, 76% of Cotabato City’s population was Muslim. It had grown from the 62% in 2000. According to the military's Western Mindanao Command, a majority of the city’s registered voters – 60% – showed up to cast their vote.

Yet, even Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders knew they had to fight hard for this win. (READ: Why Cotabato City 'yes' vote matters)

Despite their belief that most Cotabateños favored inclusion in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), they knew fierce opposition from local leaders in the city could endanger victory.

To complicate matters, 3 discrepancies were found in the Certificate of Canvass showing Cotabato City's total votes – errors in the total number of registered voters and the number of voters who cast their votes.

MILF peace panel chairman Mohagher Iqbal downplayed these discrepancies, saying they did not involve the "yes" and "no" tallies themselves. On Friday, January 25, the Commission on Elections declared the BOL "deemed ratified." (READ: Rappler's special coverage on the Bangsamoro Vote 2019)

The campaign and messaging strategy in the city, particularly by the MILF political party United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), proved effective, said Bacani.

Naguib Sinarimbo, UBJP deputy secretary-general, said the MILF's decades of experience in community-organizing played a role in the "yes" campaign's success.

"Their biggest strength has always been their organization, down to the barangays," he said.

MILF chief Ebrahim Murad said most people in Cotabato City are either MILF members or sympathetic to them.

"More than half" of the city's 37 barangays are under their influence, according to Iqbal.

These barangays also benefit from their MILF association. The MILF's Bangsamoro Development Authority, created during the peace negotiations, provides medical assistance and livelihood projects to these villages, and these benefits reach the Christians there as well, said Iqbal.

Weeks before the poll, several groups, across sectors and religions, had been active in raising awareness about the BOL and what Cotabato City would get from joining the BARMM.

Sinarimbo said their plan made use of all their institutions and groups.

Mosques became venues to explain the BOL. There was door-to-door campaigning too.

“We tasked women to do the house-to-house campaign as it is most likely that people will open their doors and start conversations if it’s women knocking on their doors,” he told Rappler.

Youth groups like the Muslim Youth Brotherhood were in charge of “active campaigning,” such as holding youth assemblies and rallies.

To ensure they had the votes, UBJP organized volunteers "down to the precinct-level."

By November 2018, at least 98% of Cotabato City youth knew about the BOL, according to a survey by non-government group International Alert Philippines.

The other side, however, was not giving up without a fight.

All over the city, posters reading “No to BOL! No to fake promise!” were posted beside pro-BOL posters. (READ: As Bangsamoro vote nears, tensions rise in Cotabato City)

The formidable champion of the “no” vote was none other than popular mayor Cynthia Guiani who commanded the loyalty of most barangay captains.

We spoke with residents who, on condition of anonymity, admitted that their barangay captains used their position to create an atmosphere where voting in favor of inclusion would be unacceptable.

“It actually happened where barangay officials would make their presence felt and convince people through their position, on how to vote,” said Bangsamoro Transition Commission member Raissa Jajurie, a Cotabato City resident.

Guiani held press conferences where she said the city does not need BARMM and could be worse off under the fledgling regional government. She’s accused the MILF of harassing “no” voters and bringing in “outsiders” to intimidate residents.

To counter this messaging, BOL supporters said they focused on cultivating hope about what the law had the power to do.

There were also groups focused on social media messaging and campaigning.

“We put in the message of hope as against fear. We emphasized the need for change and a certain future rather than the status quo and uncertainty,” said Sinarimbo.

To respond to the accusation of BOL’s “fake promises,” Jajurie said their groups only had to point to the existence of the law.

Some ways they got their message across was through barangay assemblies, distribution of leaflets with answers to "frequently asked questions," and radio interviews.

They reached out to Muslim communities specifically through khutba or sermons in mosques.

Emphasis was made on how the BOL would bring about peace because it addressed historical grievances of the Moros. The greatly expanded powers of the Bangsamoro government and unconditional funding would mean the Bangsamoro people would now more fully govern themselves.

“Addressing historical injustice and reclaiming Cotabato City for the Bangsamoro won over governance and security considerations,” Bacani told Rappler.

It was also critical that there was real support for the BOL among Christians in Cotabato City.

This support, said Sinarimbo, played a “very big role” in the “yes” vote victory.

Retired Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Quevedo, also Mindanao’s first and only cardinal, has been a longtime advocate of a Bangsamoro law. His acknowledgement of the need to address injustices against Muslims of Mindanao have helped bridge the religious divide.

The Christians for Peace Movement has held fora in the city and all over ARMM, allaying fears of Christians that they would lose their rights under the BARMM.

“There were very supportive Catholic groups and leaders who convinced other Catholics that there is nothing to fear in being part of the BARMM. Also, inter-faith efforts were taken by these Catholic leaders to foster understanding, respect, and co-existence between Christians and Muslims,” said Jajurie.

The “yes” vote won by over 11,600 votes in Cotabato City. In Isabela City, where the fight was also heated, the “yes” vote lost by 3,402 votes. Compared to Cotabato City, Catholic Church leaders in Isabela City had been more vocal about opposing BARMM inclusion.

The support of the national government also played a big role.

Everyone from President Rodrigo Duterte to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana to peace process adviser Carlito Galvez Jr had lent their voices to the “yes” campaign.

But for MILF chairman Murad, the biggest factor to victory was that they ensured BOL supporters would feel safe when they cast their vote.

Apart from alleged intimidation by barangay officials, there had been a lot of fear-mongering in the days leading to the plebiscite.

False news spread on social media that BOL supporters were rushed to the hospital due to food poisoning. There had been rumors of a Marawi siege-like scenario taking place on January 21, plebiscite day.

And on D-day itself, threatening text messages convinced 72 teachers not to show up for their plebiscite duties.

Such incidents only aggravated fears stoked by the New Year’s Eve bombing near the city’s South Seas Mall and the lobbing of a grenade at a judge’s house on the eve of the plebiscite.

To allay fears of voters, the MILF deployed their soldiers to watch over precincts, without arms.

“We deployed unarmed MILF people in the area just to watch and to protect them, make sure our people will be allowed to vote and to protect their votes,” said Murad.

Jajurie had the same observation. Deploying Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) personnel, even if unarmed, helped make BOL supporters feel safer.

“They anticipated some of the concerns, like the presence of the BIAF in the communities was really just to counter the expectation [of violence]…It was reassurance to Moro communities that they were there to protect them,” said Jajurie.

Rappler was present at the meeting of BIAF personnel and volunteers held on the eve of the plebiscite in MILF’s Camp Darapanan.

In that meeting, some 1,200 men were briefed on what they could and could not do during the plebiscite. The "don’ts" included acts of violence, carrying guns, and wearing their uniforms. They were told they could only monitor the precincts and report untoward incidents to authorities.

A source familiar with the operations said that the MILF deployed two companies of unarmed BIAF personnel for every voting center (for example, an elementary school), which contains multiple precincts.

One company is composed of 120 personnel so every voting center would have some 240 personnel assigned to observe.

6th Infrantry Division commander Cirilito Sobejana, however, said that the BIAF "were not hostile." He himself had made rounds to check on voting centers and had noticed, at most, persistent chanting by the BIAF and verbal clashes with BOL naysayers.

Despite that, the BIAF were perceived as intimidating the “no” voters, causing Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Carlito Galvez Jr to ask MILF to pull out some of the men from the city.

Underlying all these efforts was the confidence, on the part of BOL supporters, that there was genuine support for inclusion in the BARMM among the Muslims of Cotabato City. (READ: The torch is lit for Cotabato)

Many would rather not use the lens of religion to explain the “yes” victory, worrying it would only emphasize divisions.

But Jajurie said the “Moro vote” was critical.

She and her group noticed that it was the Moro-dominated villages that delivered the “yes” votes, citing the Bagua and Tamontaka villages.

Though predominantly Muslim, Cotabato City had rejected joining ARMM in 2001, and before that, in 1989.

For Murad, their triumph shows Cotabateños are convinced that BARMM is an improvement of the ARMM.

“The people have spoken and have chosen to side with the BOL," said a jubilant Murad. – Rappler.com</s>A heavy majority in the southern Philippines voted in favor of a ratifying a law giving Muslims in the region full autonomy through a historic plebiscite held earlier this week, according to certified results released late Friday by elections officials.



The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was “deemed ratified,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said, as officials released figures showing that more than 1.5 million registered voters had cast “yes” ballots for the law’s ratification versus nearly 200,000 who had voted against it. 



President Rodrigo Duterte had signed the law in July 2018, and it was placed before voters in Muslim-majority areas of the south through a referendum held Monday. 



Ghadzali Jaafar, vice chairman for political affairs of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), told BenarNews he was happy with the outcome of the vote.

“This is what we are waiting for. We thank all the people who supported us. Rest assured we will implement pro-people programs,” Jaafar said.

The elections commission said that Cotabato City – long considered the administrative capital of Muslims in the south – would also be part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which would replace an old political entity called the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that has been described as a “failed experiment.”



The island of Basilan farther south, the traditional home of Muslim militants including the Abu Sayyaf Group, voted overwhelmingly for the region, according to figures from Comelec.



But the city of Isabela, on Basilan, opposed its inclusion in the new region. There were 22,441 ‘yes’ votes counted against 19,032 ‘no’ votes, according to official figures that Comelec posted on its Twitter feed on Friday night.

Another referendum will be held on Feb. 6 for the residents of nearby Lanao del Norte province and six municipalities in North Cotabato province, although the results are widely expected to favor the new autonomous region.

Naguib Sinarimbo, leader of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the MILF, welcomed the ratification, which he said would usher in an era of prosperity in the region where many areas still remained mired in poverty and violence from various militant groups.

“We would like to congratulate the Bangsamoro people for delivering the resounding ‘yes’ vote,” he said. “We would also thank the countless number of party workers who sacrificed and worked so hard to ensure that we win this plebiscite.”

President Duterte approved the law four years after the MILF signed a peace deal with Manila, and dropped their separatist rebellion in favor of expanded autonomy.

In rallying for ratification of the law, Duterte said last week that its implementation would help end bloodshed that had prevented the south from advancing economically. He noted that nearly a half-century of rebellion had left thousands dead and stunted the growth of the mineral-rich south.

The Bangsamoro law gives the south an expanded autonomous area, offering self-determination to four million Filipino Muslims by empowering them to elect their own parliament.

BOL also gives the people in parts of the southern Philippines that have an Islamic majority control over many local government functions, including taxation and education, and allows Muslim Filipinos to incorporate Sharia law into their justice system.

Froilan Gallardo contributed to this report from Cagayan de Oro city, Philippines.</s>MANILA: A landmark law was ratified on Friday (Jan 25), paving the way for the creation of an autonomous entity in Muslim-majority areas in the southern Philippines.

This came after a referendum earlier this week. Voters in two Muslim-majority areas of Mindanao decisively said “yes” to a law to create a self-governing area called Bangsamoro.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law or BOL was the result of a peace deal signed between the government and the Philippines' largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

After 17 years of negotiations, the agreement raises hopes of ending four decades of fighting between government troops and the MILF.

The Bangsamoros - Muslim natives from the country’s south – said they were subject to marginalisation, land-grabbing and even massacres that sparked their rebellion half a century ago.

The MILF has pushed for autonomy and, in exchange, committed to gradually disband its armed wing.

READ: What's behind the autonomy vote in the Philippines' Muslim Mindanao?



“We wanted the law ratified because we want peace. We don’t know what could happen next if it wasn’t ratified,” MILF fighter Monib Sinebangan, 69, told Channel NewsAsia.

Feeling powerless as a Muslim minority, Sinebangan started fighting for a Muslim separatist group in the southern Philippines at the age of 22.

He joined the MILF during its inception in the 1980s, while the rebel group’s predecessor, the Moro National Liberation Front, negotiated peace with the government.

Sinebangan said the new law offers hope for generations of Muslim natives to have more opportunities for a better life.

“The peace agreement is a political agreement, but a very important complementary track is that the political agreement delivers what are called peace dividends which are really socio-economic benefits on the ground,” explained former presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles.

“People on the ground will feel that the peace process, the peace agreement changed my life, contributed to a better life for me. Not just that I am not fearful of the security threats but that my needs - in terms of health in terms of food, in terms of housing, in terms of my children being able to go to school - that those are in place,” she told Channel NewsAsia.

The old autonomous region of Muslim Mindanao, which the new Bangsamoro entity will replace, houses some of the country’s poorest provinces.

Deles believes improving people’s quality of lives is also a disincentive for those in the margins to join radical groups.

“In terms of the peace process, success breeds success,” she added.

“If they see former combatants, if they see the battalions of the MILF being transformed and getting benefits, socio-economic benefits for themselves, for their families, their children, then that is something that is going to attract people who are maybe joining other lawless armed groups because they see no other options for them.”

Another voting day has been set for Feb 6 for other areas seeking to be included in the new autonomous region.

The ratification of the law will lead to the gradual laying down of arms of about 30,000 MILF fighters, in exchange for a socio-economic package that can enable them to shift to civilian life.

The first phase of the process will involve the MILF's submission of an inventory of combatants, weapons, and camps. The fighters would then be assessed in terms of what their needs and skills are.

In the second phase, an initial 30 per cent of the fighters will lay down their arms. Pardons and amnesties will also be granted.

The decommissioning will not only cover the MILF. Other private armed groups can also be subject to firearms control and management.

The third phase will involve the laying down of arms of 65 per cent of the rebels - that's another 35 per cent on top of the initial 30 per cent.

The fourth and final phase is when all MILF rebels are supposed to have laid down their weapons. This will lead to the signing of an exit agreement to conclude the peace process.

The weapons that will be turned over by the former rebels will not be destroyed, according to MILF chairman Al Haj Murad Ebrahim. They will be deposited in an agreed place and will have to be "rendered beyond use”.

“It will be handled by a joint security of the MILF and government,” he said.

Livelihood options will have to be provided to the former rebels.

In addition, President Rodrigo Duterte will have to appoint members of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority. The body will administer the new entity’s transition to its maiden elections in 2022, when an 80-member parliament and a chief minister would be chosen.</s>A heavy majority in the southern Philippines voted in favor of a ratifying a law giving Muslims in the region full autonomy through a historic plebiscite held earlier this week, according to certified results released late Friday by elections officials.

The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) was “deemed ratified,” the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said, as officials released figures showing that more than 1.5 million registered voters had cast “yes” ballots for the law’s ratification versus nearly 200,000 who had voted against it.

President Rodrigo Duterte had signed the law in July 2018, and it was placed before voters in Muslim-majority areas of the south through a referendum held Monday.

Ghadzali Jaafar, vice chairman for political affairs of the former rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), told BenarNews he was happy with the outcome of the vote.

“This is what we are waiting for. We thank all the people who supported us. Rest assured we will implement pro-people programs,” Jaafar said.

The elections commission said that Cotabato City – long considered the administrative capital of Muslims in the south – would also be part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), which would replace an old political entity called the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that has been described as a “failed experiment.”

Jeoffrey Maitem

 Cotabato City, Philippines. Froilan Gallardo contributed to this report from Cagayan de Oro city, Philippines.

Copyright ©2019, BenarNews. Used with the permission of BenarNews.
The ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law is proclaimed paving the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in the Philippines.