Building on recent watchdog warnings of collapse risks in the BARMM peace process, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao continues its unfinished journey toward stable autonomy. Rooted in decades of conflict from Martial Law-era violence to peace agreements, today's repeated election delays—exacerbated by court rulings and pandemic fallout—threaten to deepen divisions, as experts and local leaders caution.
The Bangsamoro struggle traces back to the 1970s, when groups like the Ilaga terrorized Muslim communities under Martial Law, provoking Moro armed responses such as the Blackshirts and Barracudas. This led to the formation of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) under Nur Misuari, as fighters like Misbah Laguindab and Hasim Adalig took up arms in 'jihad' to defend land and people against massacres and unfounded attacks.
The term 'Moro,' as explained by Ayesha Merdeka Alonto of Mindanao State University’s Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center, encapsulates 400 years of Muslim resistance in Mindanao, from Iranuns who never surrendered to Spanish colonization.
Key milestones followed: The 1976 Tripoli Agreement promised autonomy but was undermined by Marcos-era regions (IX and XII), rejected by the MNLF as divisive. A 1996 Ramos-MNLF deal created the ARMM, with Misuari as governor, but splits birthed the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) under Salamat Hashim. The ARMM evolved into BARMM in 2019 via the 2014 MILF peace pact under Aquino.
Today, as highlighted in February 2026 warnings from Climate Conflict Action and the Institute for Autonomy and Governance, trust erodes amid MILF fractures, stalled decommissioning, corruption allegations, and violence like the January RPG attack on Shariff Aguak Mayor Akmad Ampatuan. Election delays compound this: postponed from 2022 (COVID), then post-2024 Sulu exclusion and 2025 districting rulings, shifting from May 2025 to October, March 2026, and potentially September 2026 via congressional bills.
“Frustrated is an understatement... which started when Sulu was excluded, and the rest followed,” said Bangsamoro youth leader Amaliah Sultanbatao-Abantas. “These are historical hangovers and injustices that need to be recognized,” added Abdullah. Without resolution, experts warn of resurgent divisions threatening hard-won peace gains.
