Maguindanao gov bets vow to keep midterm polls peaceful
COTABATO CITY—Gubernatorial candidates in the provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur have committed to make the midterm elections peaceful, making that pledge on Tuesday in the presence of top officials of the regional police and military commands and the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Through the signing of a peace covenant, the camps of acting Maguindanao del Sur Gov. Mariam Mangudadatu and former Talayan Mayor Ali Midtimbang as well as of Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao del Norte Mayor Tucao Mastura and former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) director general Suharto Mangudadatu, vowed to renounce violence and work for peaceful and orderly elections.
Mariam Mangudadatu and Midtimbang are rivals in Maguindanao del Sur’s gubernatorial race while her husband Suharto is facing Mastura for the top post in Maguindanao del Norte.
The Mangudadatu couple is backed by the alliance of traditional political clans while Midtimbang and Mastura are supported by the erstwhile rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The peace covenant was forged amid persistent worries by conflict monitors and election watchdogs that the conduct of the midterm elections could be a bloody one in the Maguindanao provinces due to intense political rivalries coupled with rising violence in communities due to conflict in resources and crime.
Currently, the Comelec has identified the Bangsamoro regional capital Cotabato City, and Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao del Norte as areas requiring close security watch during the election season. Also being monitored are the towns of Paglat, Rajah Buayan, South Upi, Sultan sa Barongis, Lambayong, Ampatuan, Datu Piang, Datu Salibo, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Mamasapano, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Buluan, Datu Paglas, Mangudadatu and Pandag in Maguindanao del Sur province.
“This covenant symbolizes our collective responsibilities to ensure that the coming elections are conducted with the atmosphere of mutual respect, fairness and nonviolence and we pledge to respect the rule of law and the electoral process ensuring free, fair and credible elections,” Mariam Mangudadatu said.
“We believe in the power of the Comelec, military and police to implement the law with fairness. We are all relatives here, but when one violates the law, we’ll let authorities resolve it,” Midtimbang said.
During the ceremony, the former Tesda chief and Mastura embraced each other as a gesture of amity.
“All of us are related by blood and by affinity. We have no problem with my uncle, Tucao, so we support peaceful elections,” said Suharto Mangudadatu, gesturing toward his uncle.
“My commitment is based on what is written in the Quran—that is to do good and refrain from doing evil acts,” Mastura said in response.
Military as witness
The covenant signing concluded the political candidates forum organized by the Army’s 6th Infantry Division at its headquarters in Camp Siongco, in nearby Datu Odin Sinsuat town.
Several issues were raised by the candidates to ensure peaceful polls on May 12. These include the bringing of overly large crowds in different villages during sorties, possible harassment, posting of campaign materials anywhere and the recent ambush that killed a lawyer of a political party.
