MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur—Local political allies of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Grand Coalition (BGC) dominated the parliamentary district races in Lanao del Sur province, securing six of the nine available seats in last Monday’s historic first-ever Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.
Provincial Election Supervisor Mohammad Nabil Mutia, as chair of the provincial board of canvassers, proclaimed all nine winners, including Princess Pala Amera Gandamra, wife of Marawi City Vice Mayor Majul Gandamra, at the Provincial Capitol Social Hall on Tuesday morning.
READ: Parties led by ex-rebels dominate BARMM polls
Gandamra, who ran under the banner of Serbisyong Inklusibong-Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP) Party for the first district of Lanao del Sur, garnered 62,086 votes over her closest rival, Abdulrahman Tahir, candidate for the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), who took only 8,293 votes. The district covers the provincial capital of Marawi.
The eight other winning candidates are Hamza Gauraki (UBJP), second district; Rauf Adiong (SIAP), nephew of Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., third district; Lampa Pandi (UBJP), fourth district; Arimao Asumi (SIAP), fifth district; Hosni Macapodi (SIAP), sixth district; Rayyan Mindalano (SIAP) seventh district; Arrie Balindong (UBJP), eighth district; and Rashdi Adiong (SIAP), ninth district.
Following the victory, Governor Adiong issued a call for unity and reconciliation among all political parties that took part in the historic BARMM parliamentary vote.
“Let us stop thinking of alliances yet. Let us enjoy this historic vote<’ Adiong told reporters.
SIAP is allied with the BGC which Adiong, Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman, Suu Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan, former Maguindanao del Norte governor Bai Mariam Mangudadatu and his husband, former Sultan Kudarat governor Suharto Mangudadatu, founded on April 24, 2024.
Colonel Caezar Cabuhat, Lanao del Sur police director, told reporters that, for the first time, the elections in the province were peaceful, with no violent incidents reported on election day.
“Unlike in the past when elections were always marred with violent incidents, last Monday went without an incident reported. We used to have an average of 15 incidents that always resulted in a failure of election in several towns,” Cabuhat said.
He credited the intensive security preparations, close inter-agency coordination and a shared community commitment to conduct a peaceful election.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed three Army brigades to secure the political exercise in Marawi City and 39 towns in the province.
Mutia said the peaceful elections were only marred by the no-show of 79 teachers who were to serve as poll managers in five towns, but the gap was immediately filled by police officers trained to serve as election inspectors. /jpv
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