GMA relieves Fuentes as head of RDC-7

COTABATO CITY — The political turmoil besetting the national capital seemed to have spilled over to Mindanao with President Arroyo’s "demotion" of the chairwoman of the Regional Development Council in Region 12, who is a ranking opposition leader in Central Mindanao.

Quoting sources from the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), the Notre Dame Broadcasting Corp. (NDBC), an outfit here of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate congregation, reported yesterday that the President designated the other day a political ally, Koronadal City Mayor Fernando Miguel, as the new RDC-12 chairman, replacing South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes.

Fuentes, known in Central Mindanao as a staunch critic of the Arroyo administration, supported last year’s impeachment move against the President.

According to radio reports, the President named Fuentes as vice chairwoman of the RDC-12, a position she politely refused to accept.

The NDBC quoted Sittie Marriam Lim, director of NEDA-12, as saying that the President, indeed, named Miguel as acting chairman of the RDC-12.

Fuentes told reporters that she had expected her relief as RDC-12 chairwoman.

Fuentes took over the leadership of the RDC-12 from Cota—bato City Mayor Muslimin Sema in 2004.