COTABATO CITY – Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman and Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu are both seeking congressional seats in the May 2019 polls.
Hataman is running under the Liberal Party for the lone congressional district of Basilan island-province.
On Tuesday, Hataman filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) before the Commission on Elections office in Basilan.
“He (Hataman) would really like to serve his home province of Basilan,” Amir Mawallil, ARMM’s public information chief, told the Philippine News Agency.
In Maguindanao, incumbent Gov. Mangudadatu also filed his COC on Tuesday, this time for congressman of the province’s second district.
Mangudadatu, now on his third and last term as governor of the province, is seeking the post that will be vacated by his brother, Rep. Zajid Mangudadatu, who also filed his candidacy for a Senate seat.
Another Mangudadatu sibling, Freddie, mayor of Mangudadatu town, will run for governor of the province with incumbent Vice Governor Lester Sinsuat as his running mate.
Ronnie Sinsuat, current speaker of the ARMM-Regional Legislative Assembly, also filed his COC for congressman of Maguindanao’s first district.
The Mangudadatus and Sinsuat political clans are members of the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan party.
All the candidates earlier agreed and vowed to work for peaceful and orderly elections in Maguindanao. (Noel Punzalan/PNA)
