Maguindanao board wraps up canvassing

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao — Maguindanao’s provincial board of canvassers finally wrapped up last Monday afternoon its canvassing of the remaining election returns from two of province’s 27 towns.

Lawyer Wynne Asdala, provincial election supervisor, said they have completed the canvassing of election returns from the towns of Talitay and South Upi, both in the second district of Maguindanao.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) central office, however, has yet to act on the controversial separate proclamations of two mayoral candidates in South Upi by municipal election officer Heidi Mamalinta.

Mamalinta is now facing investigation for proclaiming mayoral candidate Antonio Gunsi as winner on May 18 and later, re-electionist Mayor Israel Sinsuat. Gunsi topped the mayoral count while Sinsuat ranked only third.

Mamalinta told Catholic radio station dxMS in an interview yesterday that it is up to the Comelec central office to decide on how to resolve the controversy.

She said she has explained to Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. the reasons why there were double proclamations in her jurisdiction.

Engineer Norie Unas, provincial administrator, said the completion of the canvassing at the headquarters here of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division finally ended the first peaceful elections in the province.

"This is something we ought to celebrate because we had witnessed so much bloodshed in previous elections in Maguindanao," said Unas, spokesman of re-elected Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan.

Unas said Ampatuan, re-elected Vice Gov. Bimbo Sinsuat and the 27 mayors, who all belong to the Lakas-CMD (Christian-Muslim Democrats) will sponsor a kanduli (thanksgiving rite) during their mass oathtaking at the provincial capitol here on June 30.