Cotabato City—In June 2022, a new president assumed office after former President Rodrigo Duterte ended his term. President Marcos was elected together with his then UniTeam running mate, Sara Duterte, who assumed the position of Vice President.

This could have sent shivers down the spine of Moro leaders who were at the forefront of the armed struggle against the draconian policies of the elder Marcos.

It was through the elder Marcos’ ironclad martial law regime that victimized thousands of Bangsamoro men, women, and children in several massacres; burning of houses; gender-based violence; and other massive human rights violations, including marginalization through land dispossession.