DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/12 May) – The five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), stronghold of the administration’s Liberal Party (LP) voted LP for the regional, provincial and Vice Presidential posts but chose Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte (PDP-Laban) for President.
With 79.96% of election returns processed as of 6:45 a.m. May 12, Duterte is leading he Presidential race in the ARMM with 744,722 votes against administration bet Manuel Roxas’ 216,778, Vice President Jejomar Binay’s 103,878, Senator Grace Poe’s 63,252 and Santiago’s 2,406. The results were posted on the Comelec-GMA Mirror Server.
LP candidates in the ARMM are winning in the regional and provincial levels but failed to deliver votes for Roxas.
The LP is taking a beating in Tawi-tawi for the posts of governor and vice governor and voters preferred Duterte for President and LP bet Leni Robredo for Vice President.
In the Vice Presidential race, Robredo is leading with 450,996 against 273,769 of Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Senator Alan Peter Cayetano’s 146,823 and Senator Francis Escudero’s 87,295.
Robredo led the race in Hataman’s Basilan, in Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao and Tawi-tawi, but Sulu went for Marcos, followed by Cayetano and Robredo in third place.
ARMM has 1,691,250 registered voters.
“People’s will”
Reelectionist ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman is assured of victory with 726,891 votes against 299,488 votes for his rival, outgoing Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan, an LP member who ran as an Independent candidate. Tan’s son, Abdusakur Jr. is sure of reelection as Governor and his wife Nuranisah is expected to take over his post as Vice Governor.
Reelectionist Vice Governor Haroun Alrashid Lucman Jr. is also assured of victory with 594,299 votes against 160,259 votes of Binladen Sharief (Ind) and 111,345 votes of Haron Bandila (Ind).
ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman. File photo courtesy of armm.info.com
Hataman told MindaNews that the outcome in the Presidential race is proof that the people voted freely.
“Patunay yan na malaya pumili mga tao. Wala na ang dating gawi na iniipit mga tao. Patunay na ang reporma at kalayaan ng bawat isa ay nangingibabaw” (That is proof that the people voted freely. Gone are the days when you could force the people. This is proof that reforms and the freedom of choice prevail), he said in a text message.
He said they campaigned for Roxas and Robredo “but in the end tao at kagustuhan pa rin nila ang mananaig” (it’s the people’s will that will prevail).
Mother-son, Son-mother
In Lanao del Sur, it’s a mother and son tandem for Governor and Vice Governor while in Sulu, it’s a son and mother team.
In Basilan, Hataman’s brother, Jim Hataman Salliman is leading with 100,653 votes with Joel Maturan (UNA) far behind with 42,274. But Nationalist People’s Coalition member Yusop Alano is leading the vice-gubernatorial post with 72,993 against the LP’s Keemhar Jay Sakkalahul’s 65,356.
In Lanao del Sur, Soraya Adiong, mother of outgoing Governor Mamintal Adiong, Jr., is ahead of the race with152,936 against Fahad Panarigan Salic (UNA) with 95,627 and outgoing Rep. Pangalian Balindong (Ind), 22,894.
Adiong, who will complete his third term by June 30 will be his mother’s Vice Governor as he is leading with 204,036 votes against 51,366 votes of Mohammad Ali (UNA).
In Maguindanao, Governor Esmael Mangudadatu is getting a third term with 208,983 votes against UNA bet Midtimbang Ali’s 112,570, while Mangudadatu’s running mate, reelectionist Vice Governror Lester Sinuat is ahead with 209,735 votes against former Vice Governor Ismael Mastura (UNA) with 92,591.
In Sulu, reelectionist Governor Abdusakur Tan II is wining the race with 147,927 votes against the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino candidate Cocoy Tulawie’s 28,677.
Tan’s mother, Nurunisah is assured of victory as Vice Governor with 136,031 votes against LDP bet Munib Estino’s 39,868.
Tawi-tawi is the lone province among the five ARMM provinces where the LP is not leading the race. Rashid Matba (NUP) is ahead with 77,605 votes against LP’s reelectionist Governor Nurbert Sahali’s 61,372.
The NUP’s vice gubernatorial bet, Tati Ahaja, is in a tight race with 68,216 votes against 61,824 of the LP’s Faizal Jamalul Mohd getting 61,824. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)