http://www.atimes.com/se-asia/DC22Ae01.html
"No one is allowed to get our natural resources," vows Margani, with an intense gaze and a clenching handshake. "We want the United States to help us develop our oil, as long as they recognize our sovereignty."

Observers note the irony of intense Muslims calling for American liberators. "The Americans who uprooted the Sulu sultanate [90 years ago] are coming back to install the sultanate," says a respected Muslim professor. "They are here to advance their protection of oil fields and shipping lanes. That's why the sultan of Sulu is pro-balikatan [balikatan: literally shoulder-to-shoulder, joint Philippine exercises with US soldiers]. That's why Malaysia is scared of the American presence here."
http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5025/
Liguasan Marsh, the country's largest wetland, had been the site of major encounters between the government, Moro rebels and lawless elements in the past using its forested portions as lairs.

Tons of bombs have been dropped and bullets fired at the jungle portion of the marshland that severely eroded its environment.

But just recently, two programs aimed at salvaging the marsh from further destruction has been launched at S.K. Pendatun town in Maguindanao.
http://www.intellasia.net/news/artic...11247285.shtml
The Liguasan Marsh holds a huge reservoir of natural gas worth hundreds of billions of dollars and the Bangsamoro people could become one of the richest if this area is placed under their control, the chief of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) said over the weekend.

MNLF chair Nur Misuari revealed this during a peace summit held in Patadon village of this city where he addressed his followers and other participants.

Misuari said that some American oil engineers told him about the abundance of natural gases in the Liguasan Marsh, the country's largest wetland.

The Americans estimated total earnings from the natural gas of Liguasan -once explored -will amount to US$580 billion, Misuari said.