This Coffee-Table Book Unveils Untold Stories About Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili, The Champion of Marginalized Filipinos

IN a time of great political upheaval and uncertainty, one man stood firmly for the rights of his people. Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili, hailed by the Maranaos as “Sultan Dimasangkay ko Ranao," was the lone delegate who stood against the First National Assembly by refusing to sign the 1935 Constitution, which failed to provide adequate protection for Muslims. Cabili never wavered in his conviction; his bold decision cemented his place in history.

To chronicle his life and legacy, genealogist Nasser Sharief and The Royal House of Cabili have co-written the coffee-table book, HRH Tomas Lluisma Cabili And The Royal House of Sultan A Dimasangkay Ko Ranao. It was launched on March 7, 2023 to coincide with Cabili’s birthday.

The 60-page hardcover 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.

It also delves into the symbolic return of the Royal House of Cabili to its rightful place when His Royal Highness Tomas Cabili Jr. (also known as Tomas Pastor), was crowned as the second Sultan Dimasangkay ko Ranao by The Sixteen Royal Houses of Lanao. 

Marawi is known to be the Holy Land of the Maranaos, a thriving community where trade flourished but was threatened by terrorism.

Cabili Jr. recounted in the book how the holy city’s sad fate resonated with him, as he witnessed the destruction of the very place where his father once walked and served as a revered leader for the Maranao’s. He returned to Mindanao to extend a hand, to share what he has — his intellect and knowledge, like his father before him.

“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 Cabili Jr., who is also the president of the Tomas Cabili Peace Foundation.

The foundation's mission is rooted in Senator Cabili's vision for a better future for Mindanao and the country as a whole, and encourages others to pursue the same ideals.

Friends from near and far gathered and celebrated the milestones with the descendants of former Senator and Sultan Tomas Cabili Sr. led by His Royal Highness Cabili Jr. accompanied by his lovely and formidable wife Bai Remedios Salas-Pastor, the publisher of the coffee-table book.

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About Senator Tomas Lluisma Cabili 

SENATOR Tomas L. Cabili was born in Marawi, Lanao del Sur on March 7, 1903.  His parents were Guillermo Cabili and Epifania H. Lluisma. He was also known as Sultan a Dimasangkay ko Ranao.

Cabili studied at Iligan Primary School (1911-1915) and Iligan Elementary School (1915-1918 ). From 1919 to 1923, he enrolled in four different schools to complete his secondary education; the Zamboanga Provincial High School (1919 to 1920), Cebu High school (1920 to 1921), Siliman Institute (1921 to 1922), and finally, the Cebu Provincial High School, (1922 to 1923).

Cabili received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of the Philippines-Cebu in 1925, then pursued a law course at the Visayan Institute, also in Cebu, from 1925 to 1927. He transferred to the Philippine College of Law, where he completed his Bachelor of Laws degree in 1929. After passing the bar examinations, he practiced law in his home province.

In 1934, he was appointed the Justice of the Peace of the Municipal District of Lanao as well as of Dansalan (which is now Marawi). He became a delegate to the Constitutional Assembly. In 1935, he was elected assemblyman for his district in the First National Assembly, serving on the committees on agriculture, codes, franchises, provincial and municipal government, the national language, public instruction, Mindanao and special provinces, appropriations, civil service, and public lands.

He was the only delegate to the Constitutional Convention who did not sign the 1935 Constitution, which was later formally ratified on February 8, 1935. In 1938, Cabili was reelected to the Second National Assembly. He was a three-term Congressman and Con-con Delegate. He was chairman of the Committee on Privileges and a member of the committees on agriculture, appropriations, forest, Mindanao and Special provinces, and national companies.

When World War 2 broke out, Cabili served his country as a guerilla in Mindanao, leading the fight to restore the Republic of the Philippines. He stood his ground to ensure the Philippines achieved independence from the Japanese and the Americans.

He was appointed Secretary of the National Defense by then-president Sergio Osmenia and spearheaded efforts to free the Philippines from the Americans. He was a prominent figure who bore witness to the Philippines' transition from the Commonwealth era under Manuel L. Quezon to becoming a republic.

During President Ramon Magsaysay’s term, Cabili became one of the most striking leaders who fought against the rebel group, Hukbalahap, especially in Mindanao. Both men were formidable forces that brought about the difference in the history of the Philippine Republic.

He was elected a Senator from 1946-1955. He died on March 17, 1957, in a plane crash in Mt. Matungal, Cebu, with Pres. Magsaysay,  at the age of 54.