Date Published: April 11, 2010
By ABDULBASIT BENITO
Bangsamoro Center for JustPeace in the Philippines Inc.
BULUAN, Maguindanao. —If he wins, he will turn Maguindanao into a gun-less society.
Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu promised this during the Gubernatorial Candidates Forum and Dialogue held on April 6, the first of a series of dialogues between candidates and civil society organizations in Maguindanao. Mangudadatu was the first candidate invited to the dialogue.
He added that he will not seek revenge for the murder of his wife and relatives who were among the 57 people killed on Nov. 23 as they headed for Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy on Mangudadatu’s behalf. Also killed in that incident were about 30 journalists who joined the convoy.
The carnage was blamed on the leaders of the Ampatuan clan who were subsequently arrested and are now facing charges.
Explaining why he will not seek revenge, Mangudadatu said, “By being martyrs… (their death) will bring (about) great change in Maguindanao.” He said the death of the 57 people would be worthless if he uses violence to avenge them.
On his first 100 days in office should he get elected, Mangudadatu said he will take necessary steps to regulate firearms in the province. According to the Philippine National Police, there are over a million unlicensed firearms in the country. About 15,000 firearms are reportedly owned by insurgent groups in Mindanao.
Firearms in Mindanao are said to come from military and police arsenals, either stolen or declared as lost during armed encounters. There are also unlicensed gun manufacturers in Western Mindanao, gunrunners who sell to local bandits in the southern part, rebels who manufacture assault rifles and rifle-propelled grenades, and illegal foreign shipments.
The vice mayor also said he is also willing to provide for an amnesty program for private armed groups. Partisan Armed Groups or Private Armed Groups (PAGs) are known to contribute to the proliferation of unlicensed firearms in the country.
he said that once elected he will be focusing on good governance, poverty alleviation, infrastructure, enforcement of the rule of law, improved delivery of basic services, and reconciliation.
Describing his manner of governance, Mangudadatu said he will make sure that all stakeholders, especially indigenous peoples, Christians, women, and the youth, will have a voice in his administration.
For the next round of the dialogue series, CSOs will be inviting gubernatorial candidates Datu Midpantao Midtimbang and Datu Ombra Sinsuat. The series is led by the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society (CBCS), a network of Moro nongovernment organizations, people’s organizations, and cooperatives.
“We will talk as brothers and sisters, as Bangsamoros with a common cause,” said Hadji Morsed Mascud, executive director of the Al Ihsan Foundation Inc.
The dialogues will be aired over the radio to enable as many people as possible to hear the candidates, he added.
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