Featured image above is Datu Sharifudin Tucao P. Mastura, former Maguindanao del Norte governor, as he welcomes, on behalf of his governor father, the visiting justices and judges coming from across the country. (Photo: SDN)
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SITIO MARHABAN, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte, February 14, 2026 (SDN) — Justices and judges from the Court of Appeals (CA), Regional Trial Courts (RTCs), and Shari’ah Courts paid a courtesy call on Gov. Datu Tucao O. Mastura on Friday, February 13.
CA Executive Justice Lily V. Biton, Mindanao’s highest court official, and CA Justice Edilwasif Baddiri, president of the Philippine Muslim Judges Association (PMJA), led the party.
The governor’s son, Datu Sharifudin Tucao P. Mastura, former Maguindanao del Norte governor, earnestly welcomed the callers comprised of more than 30 justices and judges who actually arrived in Cotabato City, capital of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), on Wednesday, February 11.
Before their call on the governor, who had to fly to Manila, and represented at the dinner reception for the visitors, by his son, a certified public accountant (CPA) like his father, they were in Camp Darapanan, the Administrative Center of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), in Camp Darapanan, also in Sultan Kudarat, where they engaged in consultation and dialogue over issues affecting the two sides, particularly related to Shari’ah Law and how the two sides can strengthen their coordination.
The meeting of the court officials and Governor Mastura’s representatives, notably the younger Mastura, who will soon take the Bar examinations (let’s wish him the best of luck), including Bangsamoro Member of the Parliament (MP) Atty. Ishak “Cocoy” Mastura, a son of former Maguindanao congressman Michael Mastura (Moro historian and author) concluded past 9 in the evening.
The parties discussed various issues and problems affecting the court officials’ line of work, particularly their security as armed men were reportedly harassing and threatening them in some parts of the Bangsamoro region.
Justices & judges, busy days in BARMM
Before the meetings with the MILF in Camp Darapanan with the organization’s Senior Vice Chairman Mohagher M. Iqbal, who represented Chairman Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim, the justices and judges engaged in a consultative dialogue with BARMM interim Chief Minister Abdulraof A. Macacua in the morning at the Alnor Hotel and Convention Center, and in the afternoon with Speaker Mohammad S. Yacob, who was also with some Parliament solons.
Welcome po in behalf of the province of Maguindanao del Norte and our dear Governor Datu Tucao Mastura, welcome po to our dear province.
The Mastura Clan has an illustrious forebears, the Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat (nemesis of Spanish conquistadors), himself a direct descendant of Shariff Kabungsuan, a Malay-Arab noble originally from Johor, Malaysia, who introduced Islam to Mindanao.
In his welcome remarks, Datu Sharifudin voiced excitement at the visitors’ coming to the province.
“Excited kaming makita kayong lahat and, of course, to the president of the PMJA, si Justice Edil Baddiri, nandito rin po ang ating Executive Justice, Justice Biton and, of course, the members of our Philippine Muslim Justice Association.
“Maraming maraming alamat po. And we are honored because it’s not all the time that we get to meet our Judiciary (members) na mga Muslim.
“I think this is the time to acknowledge ang galing, and husay ng ating mga Muslim judges.”
He said he was told before hand that some of the visitors wanted to engage in horse-riding, telling them their stable of horses are well cared for and are safe to ride.
Nevertheless, the governor’s son assured, jokingly, that an ambulance was just around (in case of any untoward).
His joke elicited laughters from the visitors. And some really did riding horse. Fortunately, no medical emergency emerged. — EDD K. USMAN (®)