By Ali Macabalang
COTABATO CITY – Political neophytes are leading over veterans in the gubernatorial contests in Tawi-Tawi, North Cotabato and Maguindanao, based on partial unofficial results tabulated as of 10.m. Wednesday. The provincial boars of canvassers in the areas were reportedly set to proclaim the winners anytime Wednesday or Thursday.
(L-R) Newcomer Yshmael Sali and outgoing three-term 2nd District Rep. Nancy Catamco (FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN)
Newcomer Yshmael Sali (National Unity Party or NUP) garnered 91,546 votes, outvoting returning former three-term Tawi-Tawi Governor Sadikul Sahali (PDP-Laban), who obtained 62,505 votes.
Veteran politician Anuar Abubakar (PDP-Laban) was also outvoted by neophyte Tati Ahaja (NUP) in Tawi-Tawi’s vice gubernatorial race. Abubakar got 54,716 votes against Ahaja’s 85,933.
Incumbent Gov. Rashidin Matba (NUP), who slid down for Tawi-Tawi’s lone congressional seat he once held, posted 85,837 votes against the 68,600 votes of reelection-seeking Rep. Ruby Sahali (PDP-Laban), daughter of the former Governor Sahali.
In North Cotabato, outgoing three-term 2nd District Rep. Nancy Catamco (PDP-Laban) led the gubernatorial race by slim margin over Carmen Mayor Roger Taliño (NP), father of outgoing Gov. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza, who ran for vice governor and is leading.
Catamco, who joined politics nine years ago, garnered 268,822 votes, while Taliño, who has been a politician for over three decades, got 266,564 votes.
But Catamco’s team-mate Socrates Piñol, younger brother of former Governor and now Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol, was outvoted with a wide margin by Talino-Mendoza in the vice gubernatorial race. Piñol garnered 206,362 votes against Mendoza’s 324,000 votes.
In Maguindanao, outgoing three-term Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu (PDP-Laban) led the second district congressional race, posting 119,988 votes against closest rival Nathaniel Midtimbang’s 101,121 votes. Midtimbang ran under NP.
But Mangudadatu’s younger brother, Maguindanao mayors’ league head Freddie, was outvoted in the gubernatorial race by Mayor Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu (NP). Freddie got 192,252 votes while his lady rival and cousin-in-law Mariam obtained 251,773.
Mariam, wife of Sultan Kudarat Governor Suharto Mangudadatu and outgoing mayor of Datu Abdullah Sangki town, joined politics about six years ago, while Freddie has been in politics for over two decades.
Local political observers attributed the defeat of Freddie Mangudadatu to the shift of the Sinsuat and Mastura clans, both of the PDP-Laban, to the NP slate of Mariam. The two clans dominate Manguindanao’s vote-richest Datu Odin Sinsuat, Sultan Kudarat and Sultan Mastura towns.
In contrast, traditional political clans in Sulu, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Basilan provinces continued their dominance in gubernatorial contests.
Sulu’s Abdusakur Tan Sr., who once completed both elective terms for governor and congressman, now led 2019 gubernatorial rice, while his incumbent son-governor, Abdusakur II, dominated also the vice gubernatorial race.
Both ran under PDP-Laban.
The elder Tan garnered 121,914 votes against 100,175 votes of former Governor Benjamin Loong (Partido Federal ng Plipinas). His son obtained 123,625 votes against the 94,227-latest mark Malcom Tulawie (PFP).
Basilan reelectionist-Governor Jim Hataman-Salliman (PDP-Laban) obtained 71,935 votes against the 67,690-latest mark of closest rival Alfiya Fernandez (Lakas).
Saliman’s younger brother, former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Governor Mujiv Hataman (LP), led overwhelmingly the race for lone congressional seat (109,173 votes) against the 26,293 votes of lone rival Omar Akbar (KDP).
Lanao del Norte voters have also opted for the continued reign of incumbent Gov. Imelda Dimaporo, her husband 2nd District Rep. Abdullah and son, 1st District Rep. Khalid Dimaporo. They all ran for reelections under PDP-Laban and led their rivals with overwhelming vote margins.
In Lana del Sur, incumbent Vice Governor Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. (Lakas), who earlier completed three terms as governor, overwhelmingly led the five-corner gubernatorial race, obtaining 207,549 votes as against the 37,413 votes of closest rival Guiling Mamondiong (PDP-Laban), a former director general of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
Adiong’s son, political rookie Mujam, also dominated the five-corner vice gubernatorial race, obtaining 182,940 votes. His closest rival, veteran Abu Mohammad Sarangani (PDP-Laban) got 61,115 votes.
His younger brother, incumbent Rep. Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong (NP), also a former ARMM governor, got reelection votes of 107,211 in the first congressional district. Closest Fiat Macarambon (PDP-Laban), a former assemblyman of ARMM, garnered 77,368 votes.
Macarambon’s brother, Froxy, also a former ARMM assemblyman, led the 2nd district congressional race, outvoting incumbent Rep. Mauyag Papandayan Jr. Froxy got 30,595 votes while Papandayan ranked fourth in the five-corner race with 19,422 votes.
Ranking second to Froxy was Yasser Balindong (Lakas), who got 27,060 votes. The second placer is son of former three-term Rep. Pangalian Balindong, who is now parliament speaker of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. #MatalinongBoto2019