SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao (MindaNews/11 May) — Datu Ombra Sinsuat and running mate Andal Ampatuan, Sr., are leading the gubernatorial race, followed by Lakas-Kampi’s Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu and Ismael “Dustin” Mastura in 18 of 36 Maguindanao towns, records received by the Provincial Board of Canvassers here said.
Only 18 of the 36 towns in Maguindanao have transmitted their results as of 3:30 p..m.
As of 9:30 a.m. only 12 towns had transmitted their returns.
Sinsuat got at total of 40,606 votes against Mangudadatu’s 29,930 while Ampatuan Sr., got a total of 49,551 votes in the towns of Talitay, Shariff Aguak, Ampatuan, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Sultan Sa Barongis, Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, Datu Piang, Guindulungan, Mamasapano, Pagagawan and Pandag in the second district and Kabuntalan in the first district.
In the same towns, the two other gubernatorial bets — Mangudadatu and Midpantao Midtimbang, got 29,930 votes and 24,627 votes, respectively while vice gubernatorial bets Mastura got 32,993 votes; Marouph Candao got 4,410 votes and Shaydee Ampatuan-Abutazil, Ampatuan’s daughter, got 1,309 votes.
Six more towns transmitted results between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. – Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Paglas, Barira, Buluan, Talayan and Sultan sa Mastura.
Altogether from the 18 towns, Sinsuat got 60,627 votes against Mangudadatu’s 53,059 and Midtimbang’s 40,781 while in the vice gubernatorial race, Ampatuan Sr., got 71,043 votes against Mastura’s 63,834.
Mangudadatu, Midtimbang and Sinsuat each won in two towns – Mangudadatu got 10,359 in his hometown in Buluan against Sinsuat’s 54 and Midtimbang’s 92; and 7,750 in Sultan Sa Mastura against Midtimbang’s 1,428 and Sinsuat’s 858 votes.
Midtimbang won 1,440 votes in Datu Saudi Ampatuan against Mangudadatu’s 1,343 and Sinsuat’s 1,211; and 10,410 in Talayan against Mangudadatu’s 26 and Sinsuat’s 3.
Sinsuat won 7,766 votes in Paglas, against Mangudadatu’s 1,940 votes and Midtimbang’s 2,478; and 10,129 votes in Barira against Mangudadatu’s 1,711 and Midtimbang’s 306.
Ampatuan for Mangudadatu
In Ampatuan town where at least 58 persons were massacred, 32 of them from the media, on November 23, 2009 by armed men believed led by then Datu Unsay mayor Andal AMpatuan, Jr., Mangudadatu won 9,029 votes against Sinsuat’s 1,366 and Midpantao Midtimbang’s 843 votes.
In the 18 towns, Mangudadatu and Sinsuat topped the race in seven towns each while Midtimbang won in four — in his hometown in Guindulungan (6,465 votes against Mangudadatu’s 85 and Sinsuat’s 25), in Datu Abdullah Sangki (1,567 against Mangudadatu’s 1,51 and Sinsuat’s 139), Datu Saudi Ampatuan (1,440) and Talayan (10,410).
Mangudadatu won in Ampatuan, Sultan Sa Barongis (3,614 votes), Kabuntalan (3,726 votes), Pagagawan (3,159 votes), Pandag (6,081 votes), Buluan (10,359 votes) and Sultan Sa Mastura (7,750 votes).
Sinsuat won in Talitay (1,025 votes), Shariff Aguak (7,156 votes), Datu Hofer Ampatuan (11,424 votes), Datu Piang (10,517 votes), Mamasapano (4,977 votes), Paglas (7,766 votes) and Barira (10,129 votes).
Mastura won in 11 of the 18 towns: Talitay (608 votes), Ampatuan (9,408 votes), Datu Abdullah Sangki (1,541 votes), Sultan Sa Barongis (3,095 votes), Kabuntalan (4,582 votes), Guindulungan (2,736 votes), Pagagawan (2,929 votes, Pandag (6,007 votes), Buluan (10,007), Talayan (6,370) and Sultan Sa Mastura (8,480).
Ampatuan Sr., won in only seven but vote-rich and Ampatuan-controlled towns of Shariff Aguak (9,269 votes), Datu Hofer Ampatuan (12,049 votes), Datu Piang (14,034 votes), Mamasapano (6,052 votes), Datu Saudi Ampatuan (1,837 votes), Paglas (6,880 votes) and Barira (9,648 votes).
As of 3:30 p.m., the Provincial Board of Canvassers was still awaiting transmission from 18 other towns of Maguindanao.
Acting Provincial Election Supervisor Renault Macarambon said Maguindanao may go beyond the 48-hour deadline within which to release the official results as some members of the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) took long in transmitting their returns.
Problems of defective flash cards were also encountered in five precincts in Datu Blah Sinsuat, two precincts in Datu Odin Sinsuat and two precincts in Shariff Saydona. These have been replaced.
Macarambon also said another problem was that technicians in the polling places didn’t know what to do. (Carolyn O. Arguillas/MindaNews)