Campaign sorties continue in ARMM

COTABATO CITY — Undaunted by the political developments in the nation’s capital, aspirants for the gubernatorial post of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) continued with their sorties in different parts of the region, promising to address the socio-economic concerns in the area.

The Aug. 8 elections in the ARMM, which covers Marawi City and the geographically-fragmented Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in Central Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, is the fifth since the region’s creation in 1990.

ARMM Gov. Parouk Hussin is seeking re-election as independent candidate now, after the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) anointed another politician, Mayor Zaldy Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao, as the administration candidate.

Businessman Ibrahim "Toto" Paglas, who hails from Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, has also been roaming isolated areas in the ARMM for two weeks now, promising to reform the regional government, long tainted with reports of widespread graft and mismanagement.

All of the aspirants for ARMM governor appeared to be unaffected by the political crisis in Manila.

"All of mayors and provincial governors in the ARMM are members of Lakas-CMD so there is no doubt that local officials in the entire region remain loyal to President Arroyo," Ampatuan said.

Ampatuan added that their campaign sorties are focused on encouraging all sectors in the ARMM to remain solidly behind Mrs. Arroyo and her administration’s Southern Mindanao peace process.

Paglas told an outfit here of the ABS-CBN last week that his main concern, if elected ARMM governor, is to ensure transparency in the regional government, which has jurisdiction on more than 20 agencies and support offices.