The last day for filing is tomorrow, Monday, May 23, when acting ARMM Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong is expected to file his certificate. Adiong was elected vice governor along with Zaldy Uy Ampatuan who is presently detained as one of the suspects in the November 23, 2009 massacre of 58 persons, 32 of them from the media.
Under Republic Act 9054, the law governing the ARMM, candidates for governor must be “a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter of the autonomous region, able to read and write, at least 35 years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the autonomous region for, at least one year immediately preceding the election.”
Sultan Kudarat province, a neighbor of Maguindanao, and Tarlac in Luzon are not part of the ARMM. The region comprises Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan.
Shortly after the ouster of Ferdinand Marcos in 1986 and the assumption of the Presidency by Corazon Aquino, the sister of her husband Jose or Peping, Cojuangco built a house near the airport in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao (more popularly referred to as Cotabato City airport).
It is not certain, however, if she is a registered voter of the ARMM but a member of her staff said Cojuangco filed a transfer of her voter’s registration to Maguindanao on March 31, the last day for filing.
Mangudadatu, on the other hand, had served Sultan Kudarat province as governor and representative. Mangudadatu is said to have registered as voter in Buluan, Maguindanao, where his nephew, Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu holds office as governor of Maguindanao.
Under RA 9054, the regional governor and regional vice governor “shall be elected as a team.”
“A vote for a candidate for Regional Governor shall be counted as a vote for his team mate for Regional Vice Governor. A vote for a Regional Vice Governor shall be counted as a vote for his teammate for Regional Governor,” the law provides.
Running against Mangudadatu so far are former OIC ARMM Governor Alvarez Isnaji, incumbent Lanao del Sur 2nd district Rep. Pangalian Balindong, the provincial chair of the Liberal Party; Ephraim Defino, Elsie Orejudoss, Kadra Masihol and Sahiron Salim.
Running against Cojuangco are Shariffa Bago and Dimalang Manalao.[]
Mangudadatu filed his certificate of candidacy at the regional Commission on Elections office along Mabini St. at around 10 a.m., causing heavy traffic as he was accompanied by a convoy of supporters.
Wearing an orange Lacoste shirt and black kupia on his head, Mangudadatu, who was with his allies running for assemblymen, showed his certificate of candidacy (COC) and said his campaign slogan is “Paxbabago beyond Peace.[]