Maguindanao leaders reaffirm support for ARMM execs

COTABATO CITY, Philippines - Politicians in Maguindanao took turns renewing support to the candidacy of releectionist Gov. Mujiv Hataman and his running mate, Haroun Al-Rashid Lucman, in extensive sorties in the province that began last week.

The reelectionists Hataman and Lucman, who is ARMM’s vice governor since 2013, both belong to the Liberal Party (LP).

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, provincial chapter chairman of LP, his constituent-mayors, vice mayors and councilors, showed force in their party latest engagements, where they repeatedly endorsed the candidacy of Hataman and Lucman.

Thousands participated in the LP rallies the past seven days in vote rich-towns in the second district of Maguindanao, spearheaded jointly by Manggudadatu and his staunch political allies, Hataman and Lucman.

More than 20 of Maguindanao’s 36 mayors are members of LP. Since the United Nationalist Alliance did not pit a candidate for ARMM governor, its members in the province, including its figurehead, Hadji Datu Tucao Mastura, overtly supports the candidacy of Hataman and Lucman too.

Mastura’s family even displayed campaign tarpaulins, along highways in their hometowns, Maguindanao’s adjoining Sultan Mastura and Sultan Kudarat towns, bearing messages they support the bid for a second term of the two ARMM officials.

In his campaign speeches, Mangudadatu kept emphasizing there is a need to sustain the southern Mindanao peace process and its dividends, such as the fragile tranquility now in areas covered by the ceasefire between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Mangudadatu is a staunch supporter of the now 18-year peace overture between the government and the MILF.

His younger siblings, Khadafe, a member of the ARMM’s Regional Legislative Assembly, and Mayor Freddie of Mangudadatu town, who is president of the Maguindanao league of mayors, are also both allies of Hataman and Lucman.

While in Datu Saudi town early this week, Mangudadatu and Hataman took turns assuring each other of their mutual benefaction of each other’s political aspirations.

They had both separately insinuated they are certain they could efficiently help one another push peace and development in the province forward in tandem.

Mangudadatu is aspiring for a third and last term as provincial governor as LP’s official candidate.

His candidacy is being contested by Kagui Ali Midtimbang, a datu in Talayan town, also in the second district of Maguindanao.

Hataman and Lucman are facing challengers Sakur Tan, who is vice governor of the troubled island province of Sulu, and aspirants for ARMM vice governor, Agakhan Sharief, a Maranaw and ethnic Maguindanaon Haron Bandila, respectively.

Lucman enjoys the support of most mayors in the autonomous region, which has 116 towns, where more than 90 percent of local executives are LP members.

Lucman had served as ARMM’s local government secretary prior to his election as regional vice governor on May 13, 2013.

Lucman belongs to a Maranaw clan that fought the Marcos regime when the country was under martial law. His father, the late Rashid, then congressman of Lanao del Sur, was forced to seek asylum in Saudi Arabia as a consequence of his being rabidly opposed to the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos at that time.

While in Saudi Arabia, the younger Lucman studied Arabic language and Islamic religion at the Umolqura University in Makkah and pursued a linguistics course at the King Abdulazis University in Jeddah.

Lucman said he too is as concerned with the Mindanao peace process and would want to help foster unity among Muslims, Christians and Lumad people in Mindanao through socio-economic and diplomatic interventions.

“My family suffered so much in our quest for Mindanao peace. We got persecuted for fighting what is good for the Moro people. I want to bring that fight into a peaceful venue and that venue is public administration and good governance,” Lucman said.