KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews / 07 May) – The United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), revealed Friday the senatorial candidates it will vote on May 9.
Mohagher Iqbal, UBJP vice president for Central Mindanao, sent MindaNews a list of senatorial bets the UBJP is supporting, which includes reelectionist Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Sherwin Gatchalian, Risa Hontiveros, Joel Villanueva and Richard Gordon.
The others are actor Robin Padilla, former Senators Loren Legarda and JV Ejercito, former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar, lawyer Chel Diokno, Mindanao civil society leader Samira Gutoc and former Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista.
The senatorial aspirants backed by the 40,000-strong MILF come from various political parties.
“The UBJP is committed to protect the Bangsamoro people and safeguard the gains of the Bangsamoro peace process. After careful assessment of candidates for senators in the 2022 national elections, the UBJP has decided to endorse the 12 handpicked candidates,” the UBJP May 2 statement sent by Iqbal, said.
“As a genuinely-principled political party, the UBJP respects the electoral process and urges the voting public to exercise their constitutional right of suffrage on May 9,” it added.
The UBJP urged the public to pray for a safe, clean, peaceful and honest elections.
Earlier, the UBJP, chaired by Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, the interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro region, declared support to the presidential bid of Vice President Leni Robredo.
Ebrahim, also MILF chair, said Robredo’s track record demonstrates strong support to the cause of the Bangsamoro people.
Ebrahim had earlier committed to President Rodrigo Duterte to support his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who is the running mate of presidential aspirant former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.
Ebrahim earlier instructed the MILF to vote for the candidates fielded and supported by the UBJP.
For the first time, the UBJP is fielding candidates in the local elections in some parts of the Bangsamoro region and openly supported candidates in the national level.
In Maguindanao, the MILF’s bailiwick, it is fielding Maguindanao 2nd district Rep. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu in the province’s gubernatorial race.
Mangudadatu, former three-term governor of Maguindanao, is challenging reelectionist Gov. Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu. Four others are seeking the same post.
In Cotabato City, the seat of government of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the UBJP’s candidate is three-term councilor Bruce Matabalao, who is challenging reelectionist Mayor Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
