Presentation

1. 17th Congress of the
Philippines
Cong. Tupay Loong

2. Tupay Loong
• Habib Tupay T. Loong (1947 – 30 June 2016)
was a Filipino politician who was a
representative of Sulu's 1st congressional
district in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM).[1] He is the older brother
of Ben Tupay Loong, the current vice-governor,
and himself served as Governor of Sulu for
three terms (from 1984–88, 1988–92, 1992–
96). Together the "Loong Brothers" constitute a
formidable political force in Sulu.

3. Background
• Loong is a native of Parang, Sulu. He became
one of the founders of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF), rising to the rank of
commander, but quit in 1974 along with seven
other leaders to join the government. He was
married to Hadja Sitti Rasidam Loong.
• Loong died on 30 June 2016 at the St. Luke's
Medical Center, Quezon City due to liver
cancer. He was aged 69.

4. Political Activity
• Loong made his start as a powerful former
MNLF commander turned political player who
as a candidate gained the support of the ruling
coalition under then-President Corazon Aquino.
He long maintained a private army despite
government efforts to demilitarise Sulu politics,
and the supporters of Loong and his
rival Indanan Anni exchanging gunfire and
attacks during the 1988 election for governor.
• Tupay's current Chief of Staff is Sigfredo A.
Plaza.

5. Negotiations with Terrorists
and Kidnappers
• As Governor, Loong frequently acted as
intermediary and negotiator when foreigners were
taken hostage by kidnappers and terrorist groups.
In 1984, Loong assisted the United States and the
Government of the Philippines in their efforts to
free American John Ravinow and friend Helmut
Herbst, who were held by bandits in a forested
area of Jolo Island.[3] In 1988 he also conducted
negotiations with rebels holding a Japanese
amateur photographer, Shigehiro Ishikawa, and in
1992 for the release of two Americans (Carol
Allen and Tracy Rectanus) and two Australians
(Lynette Cook and her daughter, Cheree).

6. Shooting During 1992 Elections
• Philippine marines shot dead three of Loong's
bodyguards when he tried to force his way into
a polling station during the 1992 elections.
Election law prohibits candidates or their
supporters from entering polling stations while
voting or counting is taking place.[4] However,
Loong was successfully re-elected for a third
term.

7. 1996 Elections
• Loong lost the 1996 election for governorship
to Sakur Tan, supposedly when Munir
Arbison shifted his support to Tan.

8. Advisor to the President
• Loong supported Yusop Jikiri in his 2001
gubernatorial bid, but in 2003 attempted to
displace him in a hotly contested pre-election
dispute within their party.

9. • In mid-2004 Loong was named presidential
assistant for Muslim Communities, and was key in
securing Muslim support for President Arroyo's 10-
point agenda. Shortly thereafter, in November
2004, he was appointed the Undersecretary for
External Affairs.[6] The Office of External Affairs
was set up primarily to "liaison with constituency
groups and build grassroots support for the
administrations agenda and legislation," according
to the Executive Order that created the office. In
September 2006 Loong again took the post of
presidential assistant for Muslim Communities.

10. Return to Local Politics
• In late 2009 Loong competed for the 1st District
representative slot as a candidate of Lakas Kampi
CMD and won, returning to local politics. As
representative he has urged the government to refocus
its efforts to address the decades-old rebellion in
Mindanao. He stressed that "the Philippine government
needs to become fairer economically, more
accountable politically, more responsible socially, more
sensitive culturally, and provides equal opportunity to
all -- they be Lumad, Bangsamoro or Christian.
Ultimately, this will facilitate resolving the Mindanao
conflict not only by structurally addressing its root
causes through the peace negotiations, but also by
healing the deep social, cultural and religious gaps or
misunderstandings."

11. Current Committee
Memberships
Rep. Loong is a member of the following committees.[1]
• MUSLIM AFFAIRS, Chairperson (Journal #7)
• AGRARIAN REFORM, Member for the Majority (Journal #4)
• APPROPRIATIONS, Member for the Majority (Journal #13)
• AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES RESOURCES, Member for the
Majority (Journal #5)
• LOCAL GOVERNMENT, Member for the Majority (Journal #7)
• MINDANAO AFFAIRS, Member for the Majority (Journal #11)
• NATIONAL DEFENSE AND SECURITY, Member for the Majority (Journal
#8)
• PEACE, RECONCILIATION AND UNITY, Member for the Majority
(Journal #13)
• PUBLIC ORDER AND SAFETY, Member for the Majority (Journal #7)
• SOCIAL SERVICES, Member for the Majority (Journal #7)

12. Peace and Reconciliation
Efforts
• Rep. Loong in August 2010 gave a speech in Congress
urging both sides to "silence their guns" in the name of
peace and development for Mindanao, and in
September 2010 asked the national government to
consider the formation of a national peace and
reconciliation commission to formulate attractions to
encourage rebels to surrender and return to the
law.[9] Loong encouraged all line agencies in both the
national government and the ARMM to prepare a
comprehensive rehabilitation and development plan
that will deliver basic services in conflict-affected areas
in Mindanao. He also emphasized that the national
government should appropriate substantial budgetary
requirement to fast-track all development efforts,
especially those in conflict-affected areas.

13. • Loong appealed to leaders of the Bangsamoro
rebel forces to "silence their guns" in exchange
for meaningful autonomy: "I would like to call
the Muslim leaders of the different
Bangsamoro rebels to exercise their utmost
sense of statesmanship as they endeavor to
work for the collective interest of the
Bangsamoro people," he said.

14. Inquiry into U.S. Oil Drilling
• Rep. Loong in August 2010 denounced the oil drilling explorations being
made in the South Sulu Sea by the ExxonMobil Exploration and
Production Philippines BV (the Philippine arm of Exxon), saying that they
were made without the consent of the province's local government. He
asked the House Committee on Energy (CoE) to conduct an inquiry into
the drilling that started in late 2009. (Mitra Energy Ltd. and BHB Billiton
International Exploration Pty. Ltd. own a 25% stake in the contract,
ExxonMobil owns 50%.) Loong said there is a need for the CoE to
scrutinise Service Contract No. 56 (SC-56) entered into by the
Department of Energy (DoE) and the ExxonMobil in order to protect and
preserve the rich biodiversity and the economic growth and general
welfare of the people of Sulu. "(Service Contract) SC-56 should be
scrutinised to make sure contingency plans are in place during the drilling
and its impact on our ecology and the cost of possible destruction of our
biodiversity vis-à-vis its real contribution to the economic growth and
general welfare of the country, especially to the people of Sulu," the
resolution of Loong stated. Loong emphasised in his resolution, that any
contract entered into by the national government and ExxonMobil is also
the primary concern of the people of Sulu.

15. Support and Criticism for
ARMM
• In September 2010 Loong responded to the
news that Governor Abdusakur Mahail Tan had
sent a letter to President Aquino saying that the
ARMM had failed its people and should be
abolished. Loong stated that the ARMM was
created in response to the Moro rebellion, but
said that in principle he did not disagree with
the idea. "If ARMM could not produce tangible
result for the sentiment of our people then
ARMM has no business to exist. What I'm
saying is, let's give ARMM a chance to prove if
it is worthy," he said.

16. Business Activities
• Tupay Loong is known to have a seaweed
farming business.