Maranao Top 90 cadre receives the Kampilan Award from Bangsa Mranaw Congress

Datu Meno Manabilang, second from left, is presented the Kampilan Award by Sultan Lomala Imam, BMC secretary general, as Sultan Abbas, left, and Sultan Conding, right, look on. (RSO)

Datu Meno D. Manabilang, present Sharief Batua of Madaya in Marawi, and a member of the renowned Top 90 group that trained abroad to fight against the dictatorship of the late Ferdinand E. Marcos received the Kampilan Award, the highest honor the Bangsa Mranaw Congress (BMC) can confer on an individual.

BMC Chairman and Lanao Sultan Atty. Firdausi I. Y. Abbas, Ph.D., said Datu Meno D. Manabilang was conferred the Kampilan Award in recognition of his sacrifices as a mujahid who was chosen as one of the top 90 by the Union of Islamic Forces and Organizations(UIFO) to train in Sabah, Malaysia and upon his return began to recruit and build a force to resist and fight the forces of the dictatorship to defend the homeland and preserve our culture and our faith, and after the dictator fled, continued his militant posture and continued his role as a mujahid by educating the youth on the rights of the people and their duties to defend and fight when called upon.

The Sultan said Manabilang's advocacy for peace and justice to this day continues and the Bangsa Mranaw Congress honor him with the highest order of awards.

The Kampilan is the symbol of Mranaw royalty which is coupled with courage, loyalty, and patriotism. It stands for what is noble, true and just. (RSP)