By Ellson A. Quismorio
With the mid-term local and national elections still a year away, top politicians in Sulu have reportedly banded themselves together in a bid to unseat incumbent Governor Abdusakur Tan II, who they have blamed for the continued kidnapping and proliferation of illegal drugs in the southern Philippine province.
Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison said that he and other local political players in the province have formed a new political alliance that will challenge the incumbent provincial leadership in the coming 2019 midterm elections.
The goal of the coalescing politicians from both the first and second districts of Sulu will be to unseat Tan, according to Arbison.
But Arbison refused to disclose who will be tapped to challenge Tan for the gubernatorial post.
Arbison, vice chairman of the House Committee on Public Works and Highways, said the Sulu political alliance will go “all out to bring about that much and long-needed change in governance as the new political landscape also starts to take shape in Sulu province."
The group slammed the apparent failure of the provincial government to stop the seeming un-ending spate of kidnappings and proliferation of illegal drugs that had long gravely affected the peace and order situation there.
"The kidnapping and drug problem in Sulu...has brought down the image and economy of our country," the Mindanao lawmaker earlier said.
According to Arbison, the new Sulu alliance will include former governor Benjamin Loong (Parang), former governor and congressman Yusop Jikiri (Indanan), former governor Munib Estino (Panglima Estino), former congressman and mayor Hussien Amin (Jolo), Mayor Nasser Daud (Tapul), Mayor Wahid Sahidulla (Tongkil) former mayor Tambrin Tulawie (Talipao), former mayor Abdel Anni (Siasi), Vice Mayor Juddin Pantasan (Omar), Vice Mayor Salam Asta (Pangutaran), among others.
Arbison said the members shared "consensual total discouragement" over the Capitol's apparent lack of effort to resolve incidents of kidnapping "that has sown apprehension and fear among the residents of Sulu.