COTABATO CITY—A leading Catholic institution in Mindanao has placed a Muslim writer in its roll of Christian honorees for his work as a peacemaker.
The Notre Dame University has honored for the first time a Moro peace advocate, Abhoud Syed Lingga, with the Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development.
Lingga, chairman of the Bangsamoro Consultative Council and executive director of the Institute of Bangsamoro Studies, is also a member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Peace Panel from 2010 to date.
Lingga holds two post-graduate degree programs with his Master of Arts in Education and Master of Arts in Islamic Studies, and is a candidate for PhD in Peace and Development.
Fr. Charlie M. Inzon, OMI, NDU president, said the baccalaureate doctoral degree was conferred upon the Moro writer during the 68th NDU Baccalaureate Exercises last Saturday at the University Gymnasium here.
Reached for comment, Lingga, an academician from Maguindanao, was visibly delighted in his usual low tone, saying the honor is not only for him and his family, but more importantly by the Bangsamoro.
The members of the NDU Board of Trustees, all Catholic priests including Fr. Inzon, were unanimous in their choice of Lingga.
All previous honorees were Christians who have contributed to their community’s social transformation in diverse fields of peace and development.
Fr. Inzon said the baccalaureate conferment program was part of the mission of the NDU School for Social Transformation, “to lead education for social transformation in Mindanao.”
Among Catholics, sustaining endeavors that promote peace is inspired by the Gospel of St. Matthew, particularly the verse “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.” (Matt 5:9)
Last year, the NDU conferred the same honor of a Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development upon His Eminence Cardinal Orlando Quevedo, OMI, Fr. Inzon said.
All his life, Lingga “has literally oriented his pen as a writer to his least-rewarding endeavor, the cause of peace,” his fellow Moro writers commented on learning of the award.
The NDU has also requested Lingga in writing to be the Baccalaureate Speaker during the Baccalaureate ceremonies, addressing this year’s candidates for graduation, their parents, the University faculty members, staff and administrators, as well as other students and guests.
“With the approval of the Board of Trustees of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Notre Dame University confers to you the Degree of Doctor of Humanities (Honoris Causa) in Peace and Development,” Inzon said.
Inzon said the Board Resolution was signed by Rev. Fr. Lauro de Guia, provincial superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and chairman, Board of Trustees of Notre Dame University, during the Board’s meeting held in January at the Notre Dame, Davao City.
Inzon said Lingga “has proven himself as a strong advocate of the promise of the peace process as the peaceful and nonviolent means of effective change and stability.”
Indisputably, Lingga is a “man of peace. He has taught peace education in various schools and the public that he has served.”
As peace advocate, Lingga also champions the cause of the Bangsamoro, principally their struggle for the right to self-determination, or so the NDU Board of Trustees fairly rated his nomination to the baccalaureate conferment.
Lingga has written numerous articles and authored books. He had written papers on peace he had presented in forums here and abroad, and by which he “continues to inspire the Bangsamoro people, and Mindanao,” the NDU president said.
Aside from being a member of the MILF peace panel, Lingga is also a member of board of schools, and is the founding executive director of the IBS.
These endeavors make Lingga “the epitome of being the man of peace” that he is. “He really deserves this (academic conferment) as determined by the NDU Board of Trustees,” Fr. Inzon added.