area was ruled by competing thalassocracies like the Confederacy of Namayan [23] the Dynasty of Tondo [24] the Butuan Rajahnate , and the sultanates of Maguindanao and Sulu [25] some of which were under the suzerainty of the larger Malayan empires of Srivijaya , Majapahit and the Brunei Sultanate. [26] [27]