The President’s Men and Women: Sueno: From Cotabato mayor to top DILG post

MANILA, Philippines —  With his background in local governance and his resolve to end illegal drugs and criminality, Ismael “Mike” Sueno is cut out for the job as chief of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

While his appointment to the position by President Duterte took him by surprise, Sueno said he has conditioned himself for the tasks at hand.

The DILG exercises supervision over the governors, mayors or LGUs, Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP).

“We were waiting at the holding area when we were told to sign up in a paper. I looked first for my surname Sueno and while about to sign up, I saw my designation, ‘DILG’. I was surprised but I told myself I am ready to be President Duterte’s man at the DILG,” he said.

A seasoned official in local governance, Sueno was first elected mayor of Koronadal, South Cotabato from 1980 to 1986 or the last six years of martial rule under Ferdinand Marcos.

After Marcos was toppled during the 1986 People Power Revolution, Corazon Aquino took over the government and named Sueño officer-in-charge for the next two years.

Sueno ran and won in 1988 as governor of South Cotabato, where he served for six years until 1992.

He initiated a number of programs and advocacies to promote law and order and ensure speedy delivery of basic services. He advocated community development, including reforestation and environmental programs side by side with livelihood projects.

Even after leaving politics, Sueno has remained active in various local and community organizations in South Cotabato.

He founded the South Cotabato Foundation Incorporated and Tinguha Foundation, which are helping the poor in the province.

He managed his family agricultural business together with his entrepreneur wife Jocelyn Pamunag Bernardo. They have three children: Ivy Joy, Ismael Jade and Izah Jane.

Sueño was born and raised in Koronadal, then known as Marbel, in the then undivided province of Cotabato. His parents were Perfecto Sueno Sr., the first municipal vice mayor of Koronadal, and Ma. Neri Dres.

He obtained his associate degree in Arts from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Seminary in Marbel in 1964. He then pursued his bachelor of arts degree in Philosophy from the Regional Major Seminary.

In his assumption speech at the DILG, Sueño said he was on his ninth year in the seminary when he met his wife.

In 1997, Sueno was appointed to the Southern Philippine Council for Peace and Development (SPCPD) Consultative Assembly by then president Fidel Ramos. He ran in tandem with presidential candidate Emilio Osmeña in 1998 under the Probinsya Muna Development Initiative (PROMDI) ticket but lost.

He also lost his congressional bid in 2001.

His experience, however, has taught him lessons on governance and leadership.

Employees of the DILG interviewed by The STAR expressed belief Sueno would further promote the legacy of former interior secretary Jesse Robredo, who pushed for the department’s brand statement: Matino, mahusay and maasahaang kagawaran.

Sueno said he is planning to use the Alsa Masa strategy to promote people’s participation in government affairs.

But he was quick to clarify that his proposed strategy would not include arms and violence. The Alsa Masa was a notorious vigilante group in the 1990s targeting communist rebels and their sympathizers.

The DILG chief emphasized that in his Alsa Masa tack, citizens will not take the law into their own hands, and will only serve as eyes and ears of the government in promoting peace and order in communities.

Sueno said he would also come up with guidelines for barangay officials for addressing the concerns of their constituents.