COTABATO CITY – The controversial former Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Vice Gov. Ustadz Mahid Mutilan died in a car accident yesterday, ending a rosy life filled with what could be “sensational” chapters of a combined political and religious career.
Mutilan, who was in his late 60s, finished a doctorate degree in Islamic theology at the Al-Azzar University in Cairo, Egypt.
Lawyer Paisalin Tago, incumbent speaker of the ARMM’s 24-seat Regional Assembly, has confirmed that Mutilan and his driver figured in a vehicular accident at an accident prone stretch of the Iligan-Cagayan de Oro Highway in Gitagum, Misamis Oriental, killing him on the spot.
Tago, also a Maranaw from the first district of Lanao del Sur, said Mutilan and his driver were in a hurry to catch the early morning Cagayan de Oro-Manila flight at the Lumbia Airport in Cagayan de Oro City.
The circumstances surrounding the vehicular accident that caused Mutilan’s death was still sketchy as of press time and relatives refused to talk to reporters as they were busy preparing for his burial in Marawi City also yesterday in keeping with Islamic tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours from the time of death.
Mutilan, fresh from his studies in Egypt, started as an ordinary alim (preacher), who used as springboard for his political aspirations his involvement in crusades for the protection of the majestic Lake Lanao, the country’s biggest, from degradation due to logging activities in its surroundings and its use to produce hydroelectricity.
A poor Mutilan became mayor of Marawi City in the late 1980s, and subsequently, governor of Lanao del Sur from 1992 to 2001.
It was when he was Lanao del Sur governor that Mutilan started to amass wealth and, soon after, built a big mansion in Marawi City, in a total turn-around from a campaign pledge he would never own a big house and flashy cars to prevent disparity between him and his impoverished Maranaw political supporters.
Mutilan was the running mate of former ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin, a ranking leader of the Moro National Liberation Front, during the ARMM’s 2001 elections.
Mutilan, as vice governor of ARMM, also sat as the region’s education secretary on concurrent capacity.
It was during his stewardship of the ARMM’s Department of Education when the region’s 19,000 teachers started to complain of non-payment of their salaries and the non-remittance to the Government Service Insurance System of the monthly premiums deducted from their salaries.
Teachers in the ARMM have since incurred about P900 million worth of unpaid loans and premiums with the GSIS, about half of the amount already settled jointly by the region’s present chief executive, Datu Zaldy Ampatuan and President Arroyo.
According to former Mindanao State University (MSU) president Diamael Lucman he received a text message early yesterday morning from those who accompanied the former governor on his way to Cagayan de Oro City airport from Marawi City that Mutilan, was on board his vehicle that figured in an accident along the highway in the town of Gitagum, Misamis Oriental.
Mutilan, who was accompanied by Secretary Jesus Dureza was immediately brought to a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City but was pronounced by doctors as dead on arrival.
Dureza was quoted as saying that the remains of Mutilan was brought by chopper to his Marawi City residence before this will be buried in his hometown in Tamparan, Lanao del Sur yesterday.
It is still not known if Dureza was riding in the same vehicle with Mutilan or if the secretary was hurt in the accident.