Who Supports the Peace? A Survey of Postconflict Public Opinion in Maguindanao, the Philippines

The Mindanao peace process features civic engagement and participation, emphasizing the importance of civilian support for the process. However, systematic examinations of the natures of Bangsamoro public opinion remain scant. How legitimate do they perceive the process to be? Do people share the same views about it? A survey project using a representative sample in Maguindanao is conducted to address these questions. While the peace process and policies generally receive sufficient support, particularly regarding economic recovery, notable variations exist among Muslims in Maguindanao. Specifically, ethnic Maguindanaoans express greater satisfaction with the process compared to other ethnic groups, implying a potential ethnic cleavage. Furthermore, satisfaction with the process is tightly connected to voting decisions for a political party affiliated with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a former rebel group.