the muslims felt alienated by the philippine government and felt threatened by the migrants' economic and political domination in their own homeland, the same way the lumads were displaced centuries ago when islam arrived in the philippines. some muslim groups turned to extortion and violence to protect their land and avoid being displaced. these efforts at “integration” are credited for helping the moro identity in mainland mindanao crystallize, because the muslims’ ability to identify with the rest of filipino nation suffered in light of the threat to their economic and social well being.