COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 1 July)—A mayor in Lanao del Sur has revealed threats that those who will not support the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) in next year’s elections in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will have to face the consequence of being investigated by the Commission On Audit (COA).
Mayor Raida Bansil Maglangit, of Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur, during her speech in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi.
Screengrab from the BGC Facebook page
Mayor Raida Bansil Maglangit, of Kapatagan in Lanao del Sur, said during the provincial launching of the BARMM Grand Coalition (BGC) in Bongao, Tawi-Tawi on Saturday that the declaration came from South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., national president of the Partido Federal President (PFP), the party of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
In her speech livestreamed by the BGC on Facebook, Maglangit said that Tamayo issued the threat during a meeting last June 24 when BARMM mayors were called to Malacañang for a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Also present in the meeting, she said, were Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. and BARMM officials under the UBJP.
The BGC is squaring off with the UBJP in next year’s parliamentary elections in the BARMM. UBJP has earlier declared that they have forged a tactical alliance with the PFP.
“We were called to Manila to force us to support the UBJP,” Maglangit said in Tagalog.
She said that what hurt her was when Tamayo said those who will not support the UBJP will be audited by COA.
“I challenged Tamayo to audit my municipality right away,” Maglangit said, stressing that she has nothing to fear because Kapatagan has been a “hall of famer” in the Department of Interior and Local Government’s (DILG) Seal of Good Local Governance awards.
She criticized Tamayo for meddling in the affairs of BARMM when he is not from BARMM.
Tamayo, however, denied Maglangit’s accusation, saying there was “misinterpretation” in his pronouncements.
He said the word he used was “ipinasisilip” (to look into). “What I meant when I said ‘ipinasisilip’ are the success stories of every local government unit in BARMM” that can serve as models.
UBJP spokesperson Mohajirin Ali also denied Maglangit’s accusation. “We are used to her old rhetoric and malicious attacks. It’s not new to us,” he added.
Ali cited as example a previous allegation by Maglangit that teachers’ positions are “items for sale at the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE-BARMM). But when an investigation was conducted and called on Ali to shed light on her allegation, she did not appear nor cooperate.
Ali said that the gathering of BARMM mayors with President Marcos Jr. was meant to help ensure that the elections in the region next year will be successful, peaceful, accountable, transparent and not forcing the mayors to join the UBJP.
But BGC leaders are not convinced.
“Stop name dropping the President. There are few in his circle who are destroying the name of the President,” said Maguindanao del Sur Governor Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu.
“We believe the President has no knowledge on these attempts. What we believe, President Marcos is inclined at unifying political groups and would not resort to discord,” said Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, the BGC’s bet to be the next Chief Minister of BARMM.
The predominantly Muslim region has a history of violent elections, and many fear that next year’s polls would become more contentious since the MILF’s party, the UBJP, is headed towards a clash with the BGC, an alliance composed of well-established political dynasties from the different provinces in the region.
The BGC includes the Al-Ittihad-UKB Party of Mangudadatu and her husband Suharto, former governor of Sultan Kudarat; the SIAP Party of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr.; the Bangsamoro People’s Party (BPP) of Basilan Representative Mujiv Hataman; and the Salam Party of Sulu Governor Sakur Tan.
On the other hand, UBJP has the support of Tawi-Tawi Governor Mang Sali, Basilan Governor Jim Saliman, Maguindanao del Norte Governor Abdulraof Macacua, and Cotabato Mayor Bruce Matabalao. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
