Deputy Speaker and Basilan lone district Rep. Mujiv Hataman couldn't help but fact-check investigative journalist Raissa Robles over her supposed insinuation that Basilan is still an active nest of the Abu Sayyaf Group or ASG.
"Gusto ko lang linawin: WALA NANG PANGIL ANG ASG SA BASILAN (I just want to clarify: ASG NO LONGER HAS ANY FANGS IN BASILAN)," Hataman said in a statement Saturday, June 4, the emphasis his.
"Ito ay bunga ng maraming taon na pakikipagtulungan ng security forces, lokal na pamahalaan, komunidad at mga imam sa ilalim ng Program Against Violent Extremism na ating inilunsad maraming taon na ang nakakaraan (This is thanks to the many years of cooperation between the security forces, the local government, the communities and imams under the Program Against Violent Extremism that we launched many years ago)," he said.
"Ang mga mamamayan ng Basilan ay malaya nang nakakagalaw at nawala na ang takot na noon ay bumabalot sa aming lalawigan. Pinagtulungan namin kung anuman ang kapayapaan na tinatamasa naming mga Basileño ngayon (Basilan folk can now freely move around without the fear that once gripped the province. The peace that we Basileños are enjoying is the product of our effort)," added Hataman.
Robles ruffled Midnanao solons' feathers when, on June 2, she tweeted “Apparently, Frasco would like to open up Mindanao to tourism. I’m sure the extremist Abu Sayyaf and other bandits would be pleased by the prospects of so many potential kidnap victims. Way to go, Frasco. Prep for ransom negotiations.”
Frasco is the Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary-designate of President-elect Bongbong Marcos.
"Sa pagsagot ni Ms. Robles sa kabi-kabilang puna ng ibang netizen sa Twitter, nabanggit niya ang security concern na dala ng Abu Sayyaf Group o ASG at pati na rin ang ating lalawigan sa Basilan (In Ms. Robles's replies to the different criticisms of fellow netizens on Twitter, she mentioned the security concerns brought by the Abu Sayyaf Group or ASG as well as our province of Basilan)," Hataman said.
Hataman stressed that since 2016, there has been zero kidnappings in Basilan. Moreover, he said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) released a statement only last month saying that the ASG no longer has any influence over communities in the province.
"We fought hard for the peace that we are enjoying now, at proud kaming mga Basileño sa achievement na ito (and we Basileños are proud of this achievement)," the deputy speaker said.
"Kaya naman, iniimbitahan ko si Ms. Robles na dumalaw sa Basilan at personal na masaksihan ang laki ng pinagbago ng seguridad ng aming lalawigan. Nawa’y matulungan mo kami Ms. Robles na maisulong ang Basilan bilang isang progresibong lalawigan na malaya na sa kapit ng terorismo (That's why I invite Ms. Robles to visit Basilan so she may personally see the huge change when it comes to security in our province. Ms. Robles, I hope that you can help us present Basilan as a progressive province that's free from the grip of terrorism)," added Hataman.
Kusug Tausug Party-list Rep. Shernee Tan-Tambut was also up in arms over Robles's tweet. She posted an open letter to the journalist Friday, June 3.