MUSLIM communities in Lapu-Lapu City yesterday officially proclaimed their community leaders in a gathering graced by lawyer Charlie Serapio who represented President Benigno Aquino III.
The Office of the Muslim Affairs (OMA) recognized the more than 20 leaders in yesterday’s meeting in barangay Pajac which was attended by about 1,00 members of the Muslim communities in Lapu-Lapu City.
Jason Daligdig, a Muslim community leader in barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City, said the gathering was a first in the Visayas area because this has usually been done in Mindanao areas with a Muslim majority.
With a rank equivalent to governor, Sultan Rajah Ibrahim Lapu-Lapu serves as the overall leader of all proclaimed “Datus” in the different tribal communities. Rajah Ayonan Dola in the person of Arafat Pabilla and Rajah Sulaiman in the person of Jimmy Imam serve as mayors, and all 17 Datus under them have their respective territories.
Nine “Bae” or women leaders were also proclaimed during the occasion.
The Tribal Customary Government of the Philippines is covered by the Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997 and PD-410-IPRA R.A. 8371.