By Hader Glang
Players in August 11 ARMM gubernatorial race
A six-corner fight is seen to take place in the forthcoming August 11, 2008 Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) gubernatorial race.
ARMM is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi and the Islamic City of Marawi with more than one million registered voters.
At stake in the August 11 ARMM election is the position of regional governor, vice governor, and the 24 seats of the unicameral Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).
ARMM is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi and the Islamic City of Marawi with more than one million registered voters.
At stake in the August 11 ARMM election is the position of regional governor, vice governor, and the 24 seats of the unicameral Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).
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Basilan Assemblyman Hatimil Hassan was one of the first to signify intention to run for governor in the upcoming autonomous region political exercises.Citing experience in the ARMM-RLA and as vice chairman of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Hassan said he was hopeful he could be the governor Bangsamoros want.
"I'm determined to deliver the positive change the people of ARMM deserve," Hassan, a Yakan who hails from Basilan, said in a statement issued by his executive assistant and spokesperson Abdurahman Tanjil.
His involvement in Mindanao peace efforts began in the early 1970s when he played a key role in the formulation of GRP-MNLF truce and the 1992 exploratory talks in Libya, which paved the way for the signing of 1996 final peace agreement.
Assemblyman Hassan served as MNLF interim chairman when Prof. Nur Misuari was arrested in Malaysia and jailed following a renewed struggle. And in 2004, he was elected speaker of the ARMM-RLA. He's on the third term.
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Mayor Alvarez Isnaji of Indanan, Sulu has confirmed that he will make a bid for governor, but said that he would run on the condition that the government will return the ARMM governance to MNLF and if the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) and Malacañang endorse his candidacy.
In the recent meeting of the MNLF's Central Committee held on April 1 to 3 in Pagadian City, Isnaji was endorsed as the MNLF common candidate for the upcoming ARMM polls. But Misuari's group and other MNLF factions questioned the said assembly.
Isnaji became assemblyman-representing Sulu when Misuari started serving the ARMM as governor sometime in 1996. He was elected speaker of the ARMM-RLA and also served once as acting governor when Misuari was arrested. He also assumed as vice governor when Guimid Matalam ran for congress.
He considered running for regional governor against Governor Zaldy Ampatuan in 2005 but then withdrew from the race before the ARMM election and opted to support the latter's candidacy. His support to Ampatuan led him to the ARMM department of science and technology as secretary.
"Because of the decision of MNLF that I was endorsed as a common candidate for governor in the forthcoming ARMM elections so I can't do otherwise. I respect and love the Ampatuan, they're very close to me. It's not really my wish to go against them but it's the decision of the MNLF that I will run."
In the recent meeting of the MNLF's Central Committee held on April 1 to 3 in Pagadian City, Isnaji was endorsed as the MNLF common candidate for the upcoming ARMM polls. But Misuari's group and other MNLF factions questioned the said assembly.
Isnaji became assemblyman-representing Sulu when Misuari started serving the ARMM as governor sometime in 1996. He was elected speaker of the ARMM-RLA and also served once as acting governor when Misuari was arrested. He also assumed as vice governor when Guimid Matalam ran for congress.
He considered running for regional governor against Governor Zaldy Ampatuan in 2005 but then withdrew from the race before the ARMM election and opted to support the latter's candidacy. His support to Ampatuan led him to the ARMM department of science and technology as secretary.
"Because of the decision of MNLF that I was endorsed as a common candidate for governor in the forthcoming ARMM elections so I can't do otherwise. I respect and love the Ampatuan, they're very close to me. It's not really my wish to go against them but it's the decision of the MNLF that I will run."
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A neophyte politician, retired police chief superintendent Ali Jumdail Omar of Jolo, Sulu is considered a promising candidate. He made a statement recently indicating interest to join the gubernatorial race.Omar, also former military officer, spent practically the entirety of his government service in ARMM. Prior to his post in the autonomous region, he joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines (Constabulary) with the rank of 2nd lieutenant in 1975.
He rose to the rank of police senior superintendent when the PC/INP (Philippine Constabulary) became the Philippine National Police. His vital posts include ARMM consultant of the regional police commission, director of intelligence and investigation, Maritime Group PNP, Camp Crame.
He also served as district director, Maritime Group of Cagayan de Oro City; district director, firearms unit in Cotabato City; station commander, Maritime Police in Zamboanga City; police chief Sultan Kudarat in Maguindanao; and other police posts in Mindanao.
After his retirement as police chief superintendent on July 1, 1999, Omar went to the United States and live there. While in US, he said, led him to realize the sufferings of the people of ARMM who have, for the longest time, been hounded by chronic poverty.
He blamed the past and present governors of the regional government in ARMM, mandated to make change and development in the area, have disappointingly failed to bring genuine and sincere service to the people.
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Mayor Muslim Sema of Cotabato City also may be considering a run for ARMM regional governor. As one of the top senior officials of the MNLF, he represents the Front as secretary general.
In a report posted at Luwaran.com website, it said that Mayor Sema wants to be candidate for governor for the ARMM.
During meeting of the MNLF's Central Committee early last month in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, long time chartered senior members of the Front elected Sema as the new MNLF chairman.
In a report posted at Luwaran.com website, it said that Mayor Sema wants to be candidate for governor for the ARMM.
During meeting of the MNLF's Central Committee early last month in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur, long time chartered senior members of the Front elected Sema as the new MNLF chairman.
But supporters of Prof. Misuari protested and refused to recognize Sema as the new chairman, saying that the secretary general was after only the representation of the MNLF this upcoming ARMM election.
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Rumors of a run for regional governor also surround Prof. Misuari, who was freed last month after the court allowed him to post P50,000 bail for his temporary liberty.Misuari is facing rebellion charges after his forces tried, but failed to overrun a major military base in the southern Sulu province and another group held hostage over 100 people in Zamboanga City in 2001.
It was also reported by Luwaran.com, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) official website, that Prof. Misuari is groomed by certain quarters to be the government candidate for the forthcoming ARMM election.
If Prof. Misuari throws his hat into the ring, it would not be his first bid for governor. In 1996, following the signing of GRP-MNLF final peace agreement, he ran the gubernatorial race unopposed and served one term until his ouster in 2002.
He also ran twice for provincial governor of the province of Sulu even while under detention in the previous national and local elections, but defeated.
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Incumbent ARMM Governor Datu Zaldy Uy Ampatuan is seeking reelection amidst reports that the autonomous region remains as the poorest region in the country.
National Statistic Coordinating Board (NSCB) survey in 2006 showed that ARMM has the highest poverty incidence in the Philippines with 55.3%, followed by Caraga and Region IV with 45.5% and 43.7%, respectively.
Further, three of the ARMM provinces are in the Top 15 poorest provinces in the entire country. The province of Tawi-Tawi topped the ranking where 8 out of 10 families are poor, followed by Maguindanao, ranked No. 3 and Sulu, ranked No. 14.
But ARMM Governor Ampatuan pointed out that since his leadership, the regional government has implemented various socio-economic programs to uplift the status of living in the autonomous region.
According to him, "finding solution to poverty is a vicious cycle but the regional government exhausted all means and will continue to initiate best approaches to adhere to its mission of serving and protecting the people in the region."
He said they couldn't solve poverty overnight same as Rome was not built in one day. "I'm a functioning governor and people can attest to that. We want to change the lives of the people in the autonomous region. This is not about politics. This is about governance."
National Statistic Coordinating Board (NSCB) survey in 2006 showed that ARMM has the highest poverty incidence in the Philippines with 55.3%, followed by Caraga and Region IV with 45.5% and 43.7%, respectively.
Further, three of the ARMM provinces are in the Top 15 poorest provinces in the entire country. The province of Tawi-Tawi topped the ranking where 8 out of 10 families are poor, followed by Maguindanao, ranked No. 3 and Sulu, ranked No. 14.
But ARMM Governor Ampatuan pointed out that since his leadership, the regional government has implemented various socio-economic programs to uplift the status of living in the autonomous region.
According to him, "finding solution to poverty is a vicious cycle but the regional government exhausted all means and will continue to initiate best approaches to adhere to its mission of serving and protecting the people in the region."
He said they couldn't solve poverty overnight same as Rome was not built in one day. "I'm a functioning governor and people can attest to that. We want to change the lives of the people in the autonomous region. This is not about politics. This is about governance."
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