KIDAPAWAN CITY – Two neighboring towns in Cotabato province are set to be ruled by newly elected officials coming from familiar political clans after they emerged victorious in the elections.
2 neighboring Cotabato towns ruled by familiar political clans
Published May 19, 2025 05:59 pm
SULTAN family. (Contributed photo)
In the Ilonggo-dominated town of Aleosan, reelectionist Mayor Eduardo Cabaya is set to lead his town of 42,000 people in his second term.
Three other clan members are also set to occupy council seats -Jason Neil Cabaya (second term), Brodly John Cabaya (first term), and Arnel Cabaya (second term).
Mayor Cabaya rose from barangay captain of Barangay Bagolibas, a town councilor, and vice mayor. He became mayor in 2022.
His son, Brodly John, ranked third in the elections.
Mayor Cabaya said that the performance of his family delivered them votes in the elections.
According to sources in Aleosan, Mayor Cabaya did not organize huge rallies during the campaign period even if he had a challenger. “He just let his performance speak and deliver the votes,” a source close to the mayor said.
Instead, Mayor Cabaya only held pocket rallies around 17 barangays during the campaign period.
He garnered over 15,000 votes against his challenger who only managed to get 2,700 votes.
Under his watch, Aleosan catapulted from a third class to first class municipality in 2024 following the declaration of the Department of Finance (DOF) pursuant to Section 6 of Republic Act (RA) No. 11964, also known as the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units (LGUs) Act.
The town was one of the conflict-affected areas in Central Mindanao in the 1990s until early 2000s.
The local government unit was also a recipient of the 2025 Seal of Local Good Governance as well as among the LGUs in the province that have been recognized as recipient of Functionality Assessment of the Local Councils for the Protection of Children (LCPCs) for their unwavering commitment in advancing child rights and welfare.
Topping the municipal council was Jason Neil, a distant relative of the mayor.
Jason Neil is a son of former Aleosan mayor and first district board member Loreto Cabaya Jr. who is now the regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Central Mindanao region.
Loreto was the first from their clan who was elected to the highest position in the municipality.
Jason said that Arnel, who was elected for his second term as councilor, was the former chairman of Barangay Malapang.
“He is still our distant relative but he belongs in a different branch of our family tree,” Jason said.
He added that even two other newly elected councilors, Edak and Walter Cantomayor, are also related to the Cabayas.
Sources in Aleosan also said that reelectionist Councilor Peter Clarito also belongs to Cabaya-Catanus-Clarito clan.
For Mayor Cabaya, Aleosan is just a small municipality whose residents are closely related to each other due to their roots in Iloilo.
Aleosan is an acronym of the towns of Alimodian, Leon, and San Miguel, where most of the migrant settlers came from.
Mayor Cabaya traces their roots to Barangay Kamandag in Leon.
All in the family
In the neighboring town of Pikit, Cotabato, the Sultan and Mangansakan families emerged victorious in this Muslim-dominated town.
The unopposed tandem of father-daughter Mayor Sumulong Sultan and Vice Mayor Muhyryn Sultan-Casi swapped positions for a fresh three-year mandate.
Muhyryn, who is married to reelected Pigcawayan, Cotabato Vice Mayor Niel Jake Casi, will be the town's mayor for the second time.
His father, who has ruled Pikit since 2006 after he succeeded then Mayor Motin Malingco after he died of a lingering illness, will be her vice mayor for the second time as well.
The elder Sultan first ran as a mayor and won in 2010. His vice mayor was Don Mangansakan, who belongs to one of the royal and a highly respected family in Pikit and neighboring town of Pagalungan, Maguindanao del Sur.
After serving his first term as a mayor, Sultan opted to run as vice mayor to his then 23-year-old daughter Muhyryn in 2103.
Before becoming the chief executive of Pikit, Muhyryn served as chairwoman of the Sangguniang Kabataan in Barangay Nabundas as well as chairwoman of the Municipal Sangguniang Kabataan Federation President from 2007 to 2010.
Three years later, they swapped positions again.
The elder Sultan defeated rival and former Vice Mayor Don Mangansakan.
Muhyrn’s younger sister, municipal Councilor Chin, was re-elected for her second term and No. 1 council member.
Her cousin Datu Turno Sultan Jr. was second spot.
Their cousins, Alison Mangansakan Jr., Abemark Mangansakan, and Jeyrick Mangansakan were elected in the town council. They are also cousins of former Vice Mayor Mangansakan.
Abemark is a son of Paidu Pulangi barangay captain Abdillah Mangansakan.
A source from the Mangansakan clan said that they are not related to the Sultans of Pikit.
With the swapping of positions, the elder Sultan is eligible to run again as mayor since he was not able to complete the three-term limit.
Sumulong is the longest mayor to serve Pikit, which was one of the oldest towns in the then Cotabato Empire.
Pikit was formally created a municipality in 1952 and composed of 65 barangays until 23 of which was carved out and formed the town of Aleosan in 1982.
In 2024, twenty two barangays of Pikit joined the Special Geographic Area of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (SGA-BARMM) following a plebiscite.
For years, the town used to be a battleground of government forces and Moro Islamic Liberation Front that displaced hundreds of thousands of villagers.
But with the signing of the peace pact between the government and MILF in 2014, the town gradually transformed into one of the bustling towns in Cotabato.
Amid the sporadic killings in recent years reportedly due to local family feuds and petty crimes, Sultan managed to hold dialogues to settle the family feuds or rido peacefully through dialogues.
Sources in Pikit said that they are expecting the Sultans to rule the town for many years to come.
The younger members of the Sultan clan are actively organizing youth leadership trainings through the Pakat Youth Leadership Convergence (PYLC).
“His daughters are also emerging leaders due to their experience in Sangguniang Kabataan,” a long-time resident of Pikit said.