Shariff Kabunsuan vice gov proclaimed

COTABATO CITY  – The Commission on Elections finally proclaimed the vice governor of the newly created Shariff Kabunsuan province the other day.

Lawyer Josslyn de Mesa, head of the special provincial board of canvassers, said Ibrahim Ibay, a candidate of the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats, will carry out gubernatorial functions pending the resolution on the electoral dispute between the two leading candidates for governor – Datu Bimbo Sinsuat and Datu Tucao Mastura.

Ibay was a former speaker of the 24-seat Regional Legislative Assembly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and also the regional budget director when he ran for vice governor in May 14 elections.

Besides Ibay, provincial board members Nariman Ambo­lodto and Datu Jojo Limbona were also proclaimed at the Comelec central office in Manila.

To prevent a vacuum in the provincial leadership, ARMM Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan earlier installed Bai Noraya Sinsuat-Pasandalan as temporary caretaker.

The province of Shariff Kabunsuan was created only last year by the ARMM legislature.