Maguindanao's top executives hold office in separate towns

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao, Philippines – The two top elected leaders of this province are holding office in two different towns away from the provincial capitol to ensure “political tranquility.”

Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu holds office in Buluan town, some 30 kilometers southeast of the capitol here, and Vice Gov. Dustin Mastura, who presides over the provincial board, in the town of Sultan Kudarat, about 100 kilometers north.

Mangudadatu told Catholic station dxMS in Cotabato City yesterday that he is not scared of holding office at the three-story, P98-million capitol building in this town, a known stronghold of the Ampa-tuans, but that he will try to avoid any confrontation with them that can derail the programs of his administration.

“I’m not afraid of holding office at the capitol. I just want political tranquility. I’m not a trouble-seeker. I will avoid trouble as long as I can,” Mangudadatu said.

Provincial employees have been griping on their daily journey from Cotabato City to Buluan, located at the southernmost part of the province, where Mangudadatu holds office.

The governor said the affected provincial employees would have to bear, in the meantime, the difficulty of traveling from their homes to their temporary office.

A shuttle bus takes the provincial employees every day from their places of origin to Buluan.

“We are public servants. We need to do some sacrifices,” Mangudadatu said.

Mastura and the provincial board members hold their weekly sessions in one of the function rooms at the municipal hall of Sultan Kudarat, whose mayor is Mastura’s uncle.

Mangudadatu and Mastura earlier had agreed to hold office in separate buildings at the old provincial capitol in the Simuay district in Sultan Kudarat.

Both officials, however, balked after learning that the buildings in the old provincial capitol have to undergo extensive rehabilitation after having been abandoned for nine years by the Ampatuans, who built a new capitol following the election of their patriarch, Andal Sr., as governor in 2001.

Mangudadatu said his main concern now is the delivery of services to areas virtually neglected by the past administration.

He said holding office at the capitol will only intensify the animosity between his clan and the Ampatuans.

“We don’t want conflicts. They can stifle governance,” he said.

The military is studying whether to recommend the lifting of the state of emergency, which was imposed in the province following the massacre of 57 people, mostly journalists, last Nov. 23.

“We are awaiting security assessment reports for the chief of staff to come up with the recommendation,” said Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta, AFP spokesman and Civil Relations Service chief.

– With Jaime Laude