Abdulmunir "Munir" Mundoc Arbison is a Filipino politician who served three consecutive terms as representative of Sulu Province's second congressional district in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. He was generally supportive of Philippine and U.S. operations against radical Islamic groups such as the Abu Sayyaf Group and of peace efforts to resolve the conflict in Mindanao. His brother is Allayon M. Arbison Jr..
Arbison started his political career as an ally to the brothers Benjamin Loong and Tupay Loong. He made his way up in the engineering field, working successively as a civil engineer aide and civil engineer for the Ministry of Public Works and Highways in Jolo, during which time he consolidated his political access, influence and resources. He went on to become an assistant provincial engineer, provincial engineer and finally district engineer in Jolo during the term of Governor Habib Tupay Loong. Arbison grew to wield strong political influence within 10 of the 18 municipalities in Sulu, and at one point was believed to control approximately 34,000 votes focused in the area around Luuk. These votes were considered valuable currency in deciding the election of political posts in Sulu such as congressional representatives, vice governor, and governor. Over time he forged an alliance that ensured the Loong brothers of legislative victory, leading to the 2004 victory of Benjamin Loong as Governor of Sulu. However, in 2007 Arbison was believed to have switched alliances and supported Abdulsakur Tan; thus Benjamin Loong lost the election as governor, and Tupay Loong lost as first district congressman. Because he had served three consecutive terms already, he became ineligible for the 2010 congressional election and yielded the seat to Nur-Ana Sahidulla. He ran for Governor of Sulu in the 2010 elections, gathering 48,837 votes, but lost to incumbent Sakur Tan.
Support for Negotiations and Counterterrorist Operations
Arbison has been generally supportive of efforts to support peace in Sulu and counter radical Islamic groups such as the Abu Sayyaf Group:
Arbison reportedly was involved in negotiating for the release of three Indonesian sailors abducted from Basilan by pirates and taken to the mountains of Luuk in 2002.
In mid-2003 he led the drive among town mayors in Sulu Province to support the Balikatan 03-1 U.S.-Filipino joint military training exercises, despite some opposition from his congressional district. In the end, 17 of 18 town mayors supported the initiative.
Arbison in February 2004 urged his constituents to continue supporting military operations against the Abu Sayyaf bandits by relaying information on their whereabouts. He vowed to continue his commitment to eliminating the traces of terror in the province so that it would become a good investment location.
Business Interests
Arbison owns a shipping business that operates in Sulu and Zamboanga.
