BANGSAMORO WILL NOT BE WHOLE WITHOUT SULU – 1Bangsa – One Bangsamoro Movement statement

1BANGSA expresses deep concern and sorrow over the recent executive order signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. transferring the Province of Sulu from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) to Region IX in compliance with a Supreme Court ruling.

This development, though presented as an administrative alignment with legal mandates, carries with it profound historical, cultural, and emotional weight for the Bangsamoro people. It is disheartening because Sulu is not just another province, it is the heart and soul of the Bangsamoro story.

It was in Sulu where the Moro narrative began. It was in Sulu where the most harrowing chapters of our collective struggle were written from widespread abuses and the burning of communities, to the ultimate sacrifice of life by Tausug martyrs during the Jabidah Massacre. Without Sulu, there would be no BARMM. Without Sulu, the Bangsamoro identity is incomplete.

We recognize the role of the executive in upholding the law and respecting the decisions of the judiciary. However, true autonomy and self-determination can never be fully realized when key voices are left unheard. The people of Sulu must not be sidelined in decisions that directly impact their future.

As a national movement advocating for the unity and empowerment of the Moro people, 1Bangsamoro calls on both Houses of Congress to urgently file counterpart bills that will once and for all allow the people of Sulu to decide their fate through a democratic referendum. Let us give Sulu the dignity of choice a voice in shaping its rightful place in the Bangsamoro future.

We appeal for this referendum to be included on October 13, 2025 BARMM elections. Because the Bangsamoro will never be whole if Sulu remains separated.

This is not just about administrative boundaries. This is about history. This is about justice. This is about healing and unity.

The legacy of the Bangsamoro cannot be fulfilled without Sulu, the land where our story began and where, we hope, it can continue with pride, dignity, and self-determination.

For Peace, Justice, and One Bangsamoro Nation.

MAULANA “ALAN” A. BALANGI
National President
One Bangsamoro Movement (1BANGSA), Inc.