Pre-poll season begins in ARMM

COTABATO CITY -- Pre electionpolitical season apparently took-off lightly in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Tuesday.In Parang, Maguindanao on Tuesday, water in plastic bottles for athletes were seen distributed from two truckloads of boxes, labelled Tulong Handog Mula kay Hon. Abdusakur M. Tan Meneral Water (sic) Pararong ARMAA 2016 February 20-24, 2016.Tan has yet to publicly declare his political plans, but he had reportedly filed his certificate of candidacy (CoC) for the post of ARMM regional governor.But Dr. John Magno, Education secretary of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) apparently did not want the sports event politicized, saying the Palarong ARMMAA (ARMM Athletic Association) has been set in preparation for 2016 Palarong Pambansa.In a statement, Executive Director Amir Mawallil of the Bureau of Public Information-ARMM said around 5,000 participants from nine schools divisions, namely Maguindanao I and II, Marawi City, Lanao del Sur I and II, Lamitan City, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi – all under the regional Department of Education (DepEd-ARMM) – will join this year’s athletic meet.”On the same day in Upi town, residents gathered around incumbent Governor Mujiv Hataman of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), who joined his wife, Anak Mindanao Party List Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman. sand//fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/10394865_577310455755081_7533557008797309901_n.jpg?oh=e8af5db213661cb7314a04d5ddddfe37andampoe=576FD381andamp__gda__=1466285751_f3dd2863a5c826fbb48c4f2b489230f3 (Anak Mindanao Pary List Representative Djalia Turabin-Hataman was guest at the ARMM People's Day Tuesday (February 23, 2016) in Upi, Maguindanao, where she joined her husband, Governor Mujiv S. Hataman, and other regional officials (for the monthly People's Day). Another guest was Philippine movie actor Robin Padilla, also known as Hadji Abdulziz Padilla) Conspicuously in the company of the Hataman couple and regional officials was movie actor Robin Padilla, attending the 13th ARMM People’s Day Tuesday in Upi.Hataman, through a Regional Executive Order, has calendared at least one day in a month-long period as ARMM People’s Day, during which basic social, medical services and paralegal assistance are afforded poor families.Padilla, for his part, promptly pointed out that he was not here for the Hatamans as public officials, but as friends, saying their friendship started way back the years when the couple were focused on peace activism. Hindi pa governor yan aktibista pa noon yan magkakilala na kami dahil sila lang yung tumutulong sa mga katulad naming Balik Islam may mga katulad naming Balik-Islam ang mga napag-iinitan noon.” (He wasn’t yet the governor he was then an activist we have since known each other, because they were helping Muslim converts like me. Some Muslim converts were in trouble then), Padilla told a press conference Tuesday, referring to the Hataman couple.On the other hand, Tan’s supporters have posted on facebook dozens of group photos with streamers bearing messages of assurance they were backing him up as candidate for the ARMM post.Hataman said he could have supported Tan for the election in 2013, when it was not in Malacanang’s plan to push the first for election, following his appointment as ARMM officer-in-charge (OIC) governor in 2011.But Hataman said when he texted President Aquino, stating his option to forgo of running for election in 2013, he was summoned to Malacanang, and was asked to reconsider that decision— lest a pick of another choice could install one, who may not be willing to step down when peace deal was sealed. So my stewardship of ARMM is one that has been anchored, always, on the peace process from the very start,” Hataman said.