-
COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 21 February) – Manila Mayor and Presidential aspirant Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso is the first candidate for the highest post to pay a courtesy call on the Bangsamoro Chief Minister.
Domagoso and his senatorial slate, including Samira Gutoc of Lanao del Sur, met behind closed doors Monday with Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod Balawag “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim and other officials of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in 2014.
Bruce Matabalao, UBJP’s candidate for mayor of Cotabato City, said there was no raising of hands although Domagoso was introduced by Ebrahim as “our incoming President.”
“The short talk of Isko and Chief Murad is a fruitful conversation. Isko was in fact mentioned as the next President,” Zajid Dong Mangudadatu, Mindanao campaign manager of ISSA, said. ISSA stands for Isko Moreno Domagoso and Sara Duterte, the mayor of Davao City as running mate of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos.
UBJP Deputy Secretary General Naguib Sinarimbo, concurrently the Minister of Interior and Local Government, said the party “has not yet endorsed a candidate.”
“The party has not yet endorsed a candidate; we want to hear the agenda of all sides and how they can work together with the Bangsamoro region. In due time, the Chief Minister will raise the hands of those chosen next leaders,” Sinarimbo said.
The official campaign period for candidates running for national posts in the May 9, 2022 polls started on February 8. (Ferdinandh B. Cabrera / MindaNews)