RPOC-12 supports ML

SUPPORT --- RPOC XII chair and Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu convened the council last July 11 at the Provincial Capitol in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat in support to the declaration of Martial Law in Mindanao. At inset is Cotabato City Mayor Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi (center) who was one of the attendees. (PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA ESPAÑOLA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)

ISULAN, Sultan Kudarat --- The Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) in  Region-12 convened last July 11 as members declared their open supportto the declaration of Martial Law (ML) in Mindanao by President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Local chief executives from the region, including Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi, were present at the council meeting held at the Kings Hall of the Provincial Capitol Building in Isulan.

RPOC-12 chair and Sultan Kudarat Governor Sultan Pax Mangudadatu said he will always support the initiatives of the President.

Governor Mangudadatu emphasized that not even the recent National Police Commission’s (NAPOLCOM) order stripping him of deputation power over the local police can stop him from working for peace in their area.

“It has no effect in my support to the efforts of the PNP and the AFP in the province of Sultan Kudarat. Ever since, we keep the Christians and Muslims live in peaceful co-existence,” he said.

Earlier, Governor Mangudadatu along with his 12 local chief executives and Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi were recently stripped of deputation power over the local PNP by the NAPOLCOM.

Governor Mangudadatu said he welcomed the declaration Martial Law to spare the province from hostility happening in neighboring areas.

NAPOLCOM Commissioner on Law enforcement Director Felizardo Serapio, Jr.cited at the council meeting that the listing of the local chief executives  stripped with deputation powers, the timing, and some problems on procedures are the issues and concerns that the commission is now addressing.

“We’ve been very busy lately making rounds of consultations with different local chief executives in Mindanao,” Serapio said.

Meanwhile, Cotabato City Mayor Atty. Frances Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi refuted earlier the order of the NAPOLCOM’s withdrawing her deputation as representative of the Commission.

Mayor Guiani-Sayadi was listed among seven provincial governors in the ARMM and Sultan Kudarat in Region XII in Resolution Nos. 2017-334 issued by the NAPOLCOM last June 8 withdrawing the deputation of the government officials as representatives of the Commission.

This resolution came as a surprise to many of the officials who were implicated on the grounds of “inaction to combat criminalities in their areas of responsibility and giving support to terroristic groups.”

For Mayor Guiani-Sayadi, the removal of deputation will not in any way affect her leadership and function as the chief executive officer of Cotabato City but she objects the grounds upon which the resolution was based.

“If they remove the deputation on the grounds of the implementation of Martial Law, we will accept that. But if they say we are not doing anything to combat criminalities in our area and much so give support to terrorists, then this is truly questionable”, Mayor Guiani-Sayadi said.

Despite the withdrawal of her deputation, Guiani-Sayadi assured that the operations of the local government will not be affected and she will continue to serve her people as their chief executive.

The services extended by the LGU to the communities will still continue and the nightly RONDA will still go on together with the help of the barangays force multipliers. This will not stop her from her ongoing pursuit to keep Cotabato City safe from all forms of lawless forces.(GILMHAR A. LAO & ANNE ACOSTA – MINDANAO EXPOSE’)