Ampatuans' turf tops PH town-LGUs in POC ratings the second time

MAGUINDANAO-- Shariff Aguak, hometown of the politically powerful Ampatuan family has topped Philippine local governments' municipal peace and order council (POC) performance in two consecutive years.

In a letter to Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Ampatuan on December 2, Bangsamoro Interior and Local Government Minister Naguib Sinarimbo said the town garnered 90.86 percent compliance score in 2018, based on recent POC performance audit.

Sinarimbo said the town's POC compliance rating surpassed the national municipal average of 52.70 percent in the same year, according to the performance audit report released this month by the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government-Provincial Audit Team.

"The (MILG of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) recognizes your performance in this assessment, and may you continue to be our partner in the implementation of our peace, security and development agenda toward (achieving the state of) peaceful, orderly and safe communities," Sinarimbo said in a letter to Ampatuan.

Sinarimbo added that the 2017 POC performance audit on Shariff Aguak, recorded at 80.14 percent, was also way above the national average of 73.62 percent that year.

Anwar Emblawa, local executive secretary, said the people of Shariff Aguak credited their "young and vibrant Local Chief Executive for the feat at steering the town well on its development path towards our common goal, that is, #ASENSOShariffAguak."

To recall, outpouring emotions over the gruesome Maguindanao Massacre on November 23, 2009 had overwhelmed objectivity even among seasoned journalists, by virtually lumping up all members of the clan into the crime.

But unknown to many, members of the Ampatuan family had also publicly condemned the crime-- among them, then Maguindanao Congressman Simeon A. Datumanong in a privilege speech on December 10, 2009, the week after the incident in a bicameral session taking up then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's declaration of martial law in the area.

Occasionally, now newly appointed Agriculture Undersecretary Zamzamin L. Ampatuan, and Philippine Army Col Taharudin P Ampatuan, both career officials, have openly spoken that the carnage victims deserved justice, no less.

Meanwhile, Sinarimbo's letter also reminded Mayor Ampatuan that as POC chairperson, part of his duties and responsibilities was "to introduce remedial measures necessary for the improvement of the funtionality of the POC and to contribute to the nationwide campaign of the (Administration) to combat illegal drugs and crminality, end local communist insurgency and counter violent extremism." Nash B. Maulana