Maguindanao poll winners proclaimed
BULUAN, Maguindanao – After some
delays due to slow transmission and venue of provincial canvassing, the
Commission on Elections (Comelec) proclaimed early Thursday the winning
candidates in Maguindanao.
The proclamation was done despite three
municipal board of canvassers are yet totransmit results to the Provincial Board
of Canvassers (PBC).
These are the towns of Ampatuan, Pagalungan
and Gen. SK Pendatun.
Lawyer Muamar Guyo, Maguindanao acting
provincial election supervisor acting as PBC chair said the total votes from these
towns will not affect the votes earned by provincial candidates.
At past 1 a.m. Thursday,Guyo proclaimed Maguindanao Gov Esmael
Toto Mangudadatu and Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat as governor-elect and vice
governor-elect, respectively.
Mangudadatu had 221,205 votes while
his rival, Datu Ali Midtimbang had only 140,636 votes. Sinsuat garnered 225,275 votes as against
Dustin Sinsuat 117,249 in the vice gubernatorial race.
Earlier, counsels of United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) opposed the transfer of canvassing venue from ARMM
compound in Cotabato City to Buluan town in Maguindanao.
But Mangudadatu said Buluan is the
seat of provincial government and it was here that the Sangguniang
Panglalawigan building is located, the venue of provincial canvassing per
Comelec resolution.
Also proclaimed were provincial board
members and members of the House of Representatives.
Mangudadatu vowed the Liberal Party
members who were elected and reelected in the province will be behind President
Rody Duterte. (Ferdinand Cabrera)