Talayan patriarch returns to politics

POLITICAL MOVE ---Datu Ali Midtimbang files his COC for mayor of Talayan at the Municipal Election Office before Election Officer Ma. Susan L. Albano. (Anne Acosta)

TALAYAN, Maguindanao--- Former municipal mayor of this town, Datu Ali Midtimbang, who holds the title as “Datu sa Talayan,” resurfaces in politics when he filed his candidacy for the same local chief executive post.

        His eldest son, Datu Tungkang Midtimbang, will end his three-term mayoral post in the 2019 midterm elections.

        The town’s patriarch said he wants to continue and implement the programs and projects left by his son.

        “My son’s vision is to uplift the living condition of the people and be one in addressing poverty, to reduce the number of the poorest among the poor, by giving them livelihood opportunities… This is also my vision in serving the people of our town.”

Datu Ali’s running mate is his junior, the youngest son with his first wife. (Anne Acosta)  

4 in mayoral race in S. Upi

POLITICAL FILERS --- Shown right to left are incumbent Vice Mayor Abdullah “Bedz” A. Campong and Atty. Ruben Platon as they file their respective COCs  for the mayoralty race in South Upi, Maguindanao. With them is vice mayoralty aspirant Mohamad Digo U. Omar, Jr. (Anne Acost

SOUTH UPI, Maguindanao ---Re-electionist Mayor Reynalbert Insular of this town is facing three rivals for the local chief executive post.

The incumbent municipal vice mayor of this town, Abdullah ‘Bedz” A. Campong, has filed his certificate of candidacy last October 17 for the mayoralty, the position he held previously for three consecutive years (2007-2016). CLICK HERE TO READ MORE....

MohamadDigo U. Omar,Jr. is Campong’s running mateunder PDP-Laban. Their party ticket for the Sangguniang Bayan also filed their candidacies for the 2019 midterm elections.

Atty. Ruben Platon, the only official candidate under  the Liberal Party in South Upi, has also filed his mayoralty candidacy in the race against Insular with whom he has electoral protest but has not yet been resolved by the Commission on Elections.

Platon protested the proclamation of Insular in the May 2016 election due to alleged ballot rigging.

Another mayoralty candidate is Deonato Mokodef.

Vice Mayor Campong, in an interview, said his family has previously begged him to give up politics due to health condition, but public demand wants him to continue his political stewardship.

“Despite family decision to forego politics, the religious sector, group of elders, tribal leaders, educators, employees, and barangay chairmen and officials have kept pushing my family for me to run again as municipal mayor in the May 2019 polls,” Campong said.

In a bit of conscience following the public clamor, Campong said he was made to rethink the family decision or position, finally deciding not to decline the clamour of the people “for my services as a public servant.”

“Perhaps the people here are satisfied and contented with my administration, political performance, and accomplishments when then their municipal mayor,” he said in accepting once again the call for political leadership.

In the 2016 local government elections, Atty. Platon run as mayor with Campong as running mate, but the former lost to Insular under protest. (Anne Acosta)

Editorial

Awaiting campaign period

        The filing of certificates of candidacy for the 2019 midterm elections, including local governments, concluded last October 17, unless there will be substitutions on the given dates if these would occur. At this time, the Commission on Elections is evaluating and screening the COCs filed throughout the country.

The Commission on Elections said they will immediately start the evaluation of the COCs as they need to screen thousands of them to include those from different parts of the country, hopefully this will completed by December 2018. 

Based on reports, the COMELEC has received 152 COCs for the senatorial race and 185 certificates of nomination and acceptance (CONA) at its main office in Manila. The filing was reportedly peaceful.

Submission of substitution for candidacy will only be until November 29, 2018. “Ang voluntary withdrawal pwedeng samahan iyan ng substitution of candidate. Kailangan lamang, kapartido mo ang magsa-substitute para saiyo. Hanggang November 29 iyan. After Novermber 29, involuntary withdrawal na lang ang allowed,” the COMELEC spokesperson said.

Campaign period for the senatorial candidates and party-list groups will be from February 12 to May 11, 2019. Those running for seats in the House of Representatives may start their campaign on May 11, 2019.

Per Resolution No. 10429, election period is from January 13 to July 12, 2019. The gun ban takes effect during this period. Unless ratified, election day will be on May 13, 2019.

By this time, the voting public is urged to use their right to suffrage wisely. “Hindi pa natin alam ang final list, pero may idea na kayo kung sino ang dapa tnating pag-aralan ang plataporma, ang ikinikilos sa gobyerno, sa pakikitungo sa tao. Dapat magdesisyon tayo ng tama para tama rin ang iboboto natin,” the COMELEC spokesman said.

By this time also, the police and military are assessing areas considered as “hot spots,” which will eventually be placed under COMELEC-control, the poll body having police power over these areas through deputization of security forces.

Of keen interest is the race for elective local government posts which, in some areas, would be hotly contested, especially on towns previously beset by election-related conflicts. We expect that martial law would take the intense election fever in the hot spots in Mindanao, especially the checking of loose firearms which would endanger the serenity of the campaign and election period.

By this time also, the electorate has a glimpse of names or personalities aspiring for elective posts in their respective local government units where election could be more intense than the Congressional and party-list race. It is best that this early the voters look on the credentials of the aspirants. Remember, service is paramount in wanting to seek governmental positions and this should be the guiding principle in the choice of political leaders.

Now we wait the campaign period.