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Friday, January 13, 2006
Newly-enthroned sultan slain in Cotabato attack
UNIDENTIFIED assailants shot dead the newly enthroned Sultan of Maguindanao province and wounded his brother outside their house in Sultan Kudarat town Wednesday night.
Sultan Sayyid Hajji Datu Amir bin Muhammad Baraguir, 45, was killed when two motorcycle-riding gunmen fired at the van he and his relatives were riding.
They were about to enter their residence compound in Barangay Salimbao when attacked.
Baraguir's brother, Datu Andy, is now being treated at the hospital.
Sultan Baraguir died of multiple gunshot wounds in the body.
Baraguir was buried Thursday morning as per observance of the Muslim tradition of burying their dead within 24 hours.
He was a writer of a national daily newspaper and a staff member of Radyo Kalimudan. Authorities are trying to establish whether Baraguir's death is related to his job as a journalist.
Unconfirmed reports tagged the Moro Islamic Liberation Front as behind the attack.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu, however, said, "the MILF has no interest in Baraguir."
He said the attack could be connected to a family feud or had something to do with Baraguir's position as a member of the Royal Sultanate. He said many others claimed to be the real sultans.
"Besides the area is controlled by the Baraguir and Mastura family," Kabalu said.
"There is an ongoing rivalry between sultans, and there is a power struggle among them. Many are claiming to be the real sultans. Family feud could be another motive in the attack," he added.
Baraguir, a descendant of Maguindao Sultan Shariff Muhamman Kabungsuan ibn Ali Zainal Abidin, was enthroned in December as the 25th Sultan of Maguindanao, and named as Seri Paduka Sultan Sayyid Hadji Datu Amir bin Muhammad Baraguir.
Before he was killed, Baraquir vowed to pursue the right of the Muslims to self determination under the UN Charter and international agreements.
Baraguir was the third son of the late Sultan Muhammad Baraguir and Bai Fatima Andong, whose family roots were traced from three historic Muslim royalties in the southern Philippines.
The Maguindanao Sultanate was originally set up by Malacca noblemen who settled in Mindanao after fleeing the Portuguese conquest of Malacca.
It was famous for its violent resistance to Spanish conquest and only subdued towards the end of the 19th century, just before the Spanish lost control of the islands to the United States.
Current sultans in the southern Philippines are merely figureheads with no real political power but they continue to exert influence over Muslims and well respected in Mindanao. (BOT with reports from Peng Aliño and Al Jacinto)
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (January 13, 2006 issue)
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