Algamar Latiph

Algamar A. Latiph is a Filipino human rights lawyer was the former Chairperson of the Regional Human Rights Commission in Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and an advocate for the rights of Moro people in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) in the Philippines.

Education

Latiph passed the Philippine bar exam in 2000. In 2007, he completed a three-month Chevening Fellowships for Islam and Governance at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Career

In the 2000s, Latiph chaired the Muslim Youth and Students Alliance in Manila.

Latiph chaired the Regional Human Rights Commission (RHRC) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in the 2010s, with the organization conducting an investigation with the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) into the ill-fated police operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao in 2015. In 2016, he is part of those petitioned for the Supreme Court in Ocampo vs Enriquez for the applicability of Transitional Justice Mechanism which is RA 10368. Latiph also served as a legal consultant in the Bangsamoro Transition Commission that drafted the 2018 Bangsamoro Organic Law establishing the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

In July 2020, Latiph and three other Muslim lawyers filed the 16th petition (out of 37) before the Supreme Court that challenged the legality of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020. During his oral argument in February 2021, Latiph asked the court to decide on the petitions "in the name of liberty and love".

Upon Muslim actor Robin Padilla's election to the Senate in 2022, Latiph was hired as his chief legislative officer but resigned after one year in August 2023 for policy differences. During his tenure, Latiph assisted in the creation of a Senate bill that sought to strengthen the powers of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in classifying media. In 2023, Latiph tendered his irrevocable resignation due to policy differences.

Personal life

Latiph is married to fellow lawyer Maisara Dandamun-Latiph from Manila, who advocates for better education as well as women and children's rights; they have two children.

References

  1. ↑ "660 out of 3,978 pass bar examinations". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Vol. 15, no. 104. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. March 21, 2000. p. 7. Retrieved June 10, 2025. [...] LASOLA, Jeffrey Nicandro S.; LATIPH, Algamar A.; LAUREA, Pearl Angelie T.;[...]
  2. 1 2 Dandamun-Latiph, Atty. Maisara C. (November 30, 2007). "Living my dream". The Moro Times. The Manila Times. p. D2. Apart from Iqra [Kiddie Learning], my daughter [Azeeza] and husband [Algamar Latiph] gave me the inspiration to prod on and to pursue my masters. I believe in the power of education to [lift our] people out of poverty and ignorance.
  3. ↑ Latiph, Algamar (August 31, 2007). "Lanao: Leafing through the chronicle of a foreigner". The Moro Times. The Manila Times. p. D2.
  4. ↑ Mateo, Janvic (February 10, 2015). "CHR starts own probe on Mamasapano clash". Philstar.com. Manila, Philippines: Philstar Global Corp. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ "G.R. No. 225973 - SATURNINO C. OCAMPO, TRINIDAD H. REPUNO, BIENVENIDO LUMBERA, BONIFACIO P. ILAGAN, NERI JAVIER COLMENARES, MARIA CAROLINA P. ARAULLO, M.D., SAMAHAN NG EXDETAINEES LABAN SA DETENSYON AT ARESTO (SELDA), REPRESENTED BY DIONITO CABILLAS, CARMENCITA M. FLORENTINO, RODOLFO DEL ROSARIO, FELIX C. DALISAY, AND DANILO M. DELAFUENTE,* PETITIONERS, VS. REAR ADMIRAL ERNESTO C. ENRIQUEZ (IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR RESERVIST AND RETIREE AFFAIRS, ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES), THE GRAVE SERVICES UNIT (PHILIPPINE ARMY), AND GENERAL RICARDO R. VISAYA (IN HIS CAPACITY AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF, ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES), DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN LORENZANA, AND HEIRS OF FERDINAND E. MARCOS, REPRESENTED BY HIS SURVIVING SPOUSE IMELDA ROMUALDEZ MARCOS, RESPONDENTS. RENE A.V. SAGUISAG, SR., RENE A.Q. SAGUISAG, JR., RENE A.C. SAGUISAG III, INTERVENORS.[G.R. No. 225984] REP. EDCEL C. LAGMAN, IN HIS PERSONAL AND OFFICIAL CAPACITIES AND AS a MEMBER OF CONGRESS AND AS THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCE (FIND); FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF INVOLUNTARY DISAPPEARANCE (FIND), REPRESENTED BY ITS COCHAIRPERSON, NILDA L. SEVILLA; REP. TEDDY BRAWNER BAGUILAT, JR.; REP. TOMASITO S. VILLARIN; REP. EDGAR R. ERICE; AND REP. EMMANUEL A. BILLONES, PETITIONERS, VS. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA; DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN N. LORENZANA; AFP CHIEF OF STAFF LT. GEN. RICARDO R. VISAYA; AFP DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF REAR ADMIRAL ERNESTO C. ENRIQUEZ; AND HEIRS OF FERDINAND E. MARCOS, REPRESENTED BY HIS SURVIVING SPOUSE IMELDA ROMUALDEZ MARCOS, RESPONDENTS.[G.R. No. 226097] LORETTA ANN PARGAS-ROSALES, HILDA B. NARCISO, AIDA F. SANTOSMARANAN, JO-ANN Q. MAGLIPON, ZENAIDA S. MIQUE, FE B. MANGAHAS, MA. CRISTINA P. BAWAGAN, MILA D. AGUILAR, MINERVA G. GONZALES, MA. CRISTINA V. RODRIGUEZ, LOUIE G. CRISMO, FRANCISCO E. RODRIGO, JR., LIWAYWAY D. ARCE, AND ABDULMARI DE LEON IMAO, JR., PETITIONERS, VS. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN LORENZANA, AFP DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF REAR ADMIRAL ERNESTO C. ENRIQUEZ, AFP CHIEF OF STAFF LT. GEN. RICARDO R. VISAYA, AND PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE (PVAO) ADMINISTRATOR LT. GEN. ERNESTO G. CAROLINA (RET.), RESPONDENTS.[G.R. No. 226116] HEHERSON T. ALVAREZ, JOEL C. LAMANGAN, FRANCIS X. MANGLAPUS, EDILBERTO C. DE JESUS, BELINDA O. CUNANAN, CECILIA GUIDOTE ALVAREZ, REX DEGRACIA LORES, SR., ARNOLD MARIE NOEL, CARLOS MANUEL, EDMUND S. TAYAO, DANILO P. OLIVARES, NOEL F. TRINIDAD, JESUS DELA FUENTE, REBECCA M. QUIJANO, FR. BENIGNO BELTRAN, SVD, ROBERTO S. VERZOLA, AUGUSTO A. LEGASTO, JR., AND JULIA KRISTINA P. LEGASTO, PETITIONERS, VS. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN LORENZANA, AFP CHIEF OF STAFF LT. GEN. RICARDO R. VISAYA, AFP DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF REAR ADMIRAL ERNESTO C. ENRIQUEZ, AND PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE (PVAO) OF THE DND, RESPONDENTS.[G.R. No. 226117] ZAIRA PATRICIA B. BANIAGA, JOHN ARVIN BUENAAGUA, JOANNE ROSE SACE LIM, JUAN ANTONIO RAROGAL MAGALANG, PETITIONERS, VS. SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE DELFIN N. LORENZANA, AFP CHIEF OF STAFF RICARDO R. VISAYA, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE ERNESTO G. CAROLINA, RESPONDENTS.[G.R. No. 226120] ALGAMAR A. LATIPH, PETITIONER, VS. SECRETARY DELFIN N. LORENZANA, SUED IN HIS CAPACITY AS SECRETARY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE, LT. GEN. RICARDO R. VISAYA, IN HIS CAPACITY AS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES AND LT. GEN. ERNESTO G. CAROLINA (RET.), IN HIS CAPACITY AS ADMINISTRATOR, PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE (PVAO), RESPONDENTS.[G.R. No. 226294] LEILA M. DE LIMA, IN HER CAPACITY AS SENATOR OF THE REPUBLIC AND AS TAXPAYER, PETITIONER, VS. HON. SALVADOR C. MEDIALDEA, DEFENSE SECRETARY DELFIN LORENZANA, AFP CHIEF OF STAFF LT. GEN. RICARDO R. VISAYA, UNDERSECRETARY ERNESTO G. CAROLINA, IN HIS CAPACITY AS PHILIPPINE VETERANS AFFAIRS OFFICE (PVAO) ADMINISTRATOR AND B/GEN. RESTITUTO L. AGUILAR, IN HIS CAPACITY AS SHRINE CURATOR AND CHIEF VETERANS MEMORIAL AND HISTORICAL DIVISION AND HEIRS OF FERDINAND EDRALIN MARCOS, RESPONDENTS.D e C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library". Supreme Court. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  6. ↑ Gonzales, Cathrine (July 7, 2018). "BTC lawyer urges bicam committee to restore deleted BBL provisions". Inquirer.net. Inquirer Interactive, Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  7. ↑ Nonato, Vince (July 27, 2020). "Muslim Stereotypes Lead To Mistaken Identity: Why Bangsamoro Lawyers Oppose The Anti-Terrorism Act". OneNews.PH. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  8. ↑ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (February 2, 2021). "Muslim lawyer to SC: Stand firm in the name of liberty and love in deciding on anti-terror petitions". Inquirer.net. Manila, Philippines: Inquirer Interactive, Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  9. ↑ Fonbuena, Carmela (February 28, 2023). "All eyes on Maisara Latiph, who will decide compensation of Marawi siege victims". Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  10. ↑ Padilla, Robin (March 30, 2023). "Technical working group para sa ating Panukala na Bigyan ng Ipin ang MTRCB". Facebook (in Filipino). Meta Platforms, Inc. Retrieved June 10, 2025. Sa pamumuno ni Atty Algamar Latiph at Committee Secretary Mam Bernadine Mahinay
  11. ↑ "Latiph, Maisara Dandamun". Bangsamoro Parliament. Management Information System Division - Bangsamoro Parliament. Retrieved June 10, 2025. She [Maisara Dandamun Latiph] is married to a fellow lawyer and human rights advocate – Attorney Algamar Latiph.