MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In honor of late Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili’s (hailed by the Maranaos as “Sultan Dimasangkay ko Ranao”) memory, his family has published coffee-table book HRH Tomas Lluisma Cabili And The Royal House of Sultan A Dimasangkay Ko Ranao. Senator Cabili is best known for standing against the First National Assembly by refusing to sign the 1935 Constitution, believing its failure to provide adequate protection for Muslims.
The 60-page book features personal stories and tightly kept photographs from his childhood, his years as an assemblyman, senator, and sultan to his last moments as the most-revered successor of People’s President Ramon Magsaysay, before he and 23 others perished in a fateful plane crash in 1957.
Its glossy pages serve as a retrospective of his works, his political journey, and his growth as one of Mindanao’s great thought leaders. Most importantly, the book compels readers to contemplate what Mindanao and the Philippines could have been and reconnects with people his ideas that were forgotten.
In addition to this, the Tomas Cabili Peace Foundation is establishing its Tomas Cabili fellowship which will honor individuals who are championing peace efforts in Southeast Asia.
“My father’s legacy is one of service, integrity, compassion, and dedication to the welfare of the Mindanaoan people. He was a dynamic force in fighting for Muslim rights, and may his lasting legacy continue to inspire people to promote peace and development in the region,” said His Royal Highness Tomas Cabili Jr. (also known as Tomas Pastor), who is also the president of the Tomas Cabili Peace Foundation.
