House Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman has endorsed the presidential campaign of Vice President Leni Robredo, describing her as the best chance of peace in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
“Ang pakikisama ni Leni Robredo, hindi lang salita, hindi lang photo op, hindi lang papeles o proyekto, kundi harapang pakikitungo (Robredo’s campaign isn’t just talk, photo ops, or papers and projects but head-on engagement),” said Hataman in a press statement on Wednesday, March 16.
He served as the last governor of the ARMM from 2011 to 2019, before it became the BARMM.
“Alam niya ang ating kuwento dahil pag may gulo, sakuna, o anumang isyu, agad-agad siyang pumupunta, tumatapak sa ground zero, nagpapabalik-balik– hindi para manligaw ng boto, pero para direktang mag-abot ng tulong at makinig sa ating kuwento (She knows our story because when there is disaster, she immediately comes to ground zero– not to garner votes, but to directly reach out and listen to our stories),” the Basilan solon explained.
VP Robredo is known for her disaster response campaigns that she herself participates in; seen during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic and even more recently, when Super Typhoon Odette devastated large swaths of Visayas and Mindanao in late 2021.
He also reminded voters about the dark chapter of dictatorship” in the history of the Moro people, referring to the hardship they faced during the administration of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Marcos Sr. is also the father of Robredo’s rival UniTeam Alliance's presidential bet former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Maraming pinaslang at pinahirapan. Minasaker tayo. Maraming napilitang pumulot ng armas sa ngalan ng katarungan; maraming napilitang lumikas sa mga tahanan...Sa lahat ng kandidato, si Leni Robredo ang best chance ng Bangsamoro magtuloy-tuloy ang kapayapaan na tinatamasq natin ngayon. (Many were killed. We were massacred. Many were forced to fight for justice, many were forced to leave their homes... Among all the candidates, Robredo is the best chance for BARMM to continue the peace we have now),” Hataman added.
“Buong-buo ang suporta ko kay Leni Robredo sa pagka-Pangulo sa Halalan ng 2022. Tinatawag ko rin ang bawat Pilipino, lalo na ang mga taga-Basilan at ang buong Bangsamoro, na samahan ako sa pagsuportang ito (I offer my full support to Robredo’s presidential candidacy in the 2022 elections. I call on each Filipino, especially those from Basilan and from the whole Bangsamoro, to join me in supporting her),” proclaimed Hataman.
Hataman is one of numerous politicians, ex-politicians, academics, economists, lawyers, activists, and even military officials that have declared support to Robredo.