Ampatuan, Paglas finally reconcile

COTABATO CITY — Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan and his grandson, businessman Ebrahim "Toto" Paglas, have buried their differences in a brief, but emotional meeting in Shariff Aguak, Maguin—danao yesterday.

The reconciliation ended the long-standing animosity between the Paglas and Ampatuan clans, which got worse during the Aug. 8 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Ampatuan’s son, 38-year old Datu Zaldy, defeated Paglas, former mayor of Datu Paglas town, in the gubernatorial race.

The older Ampatuan, provincial chairman of the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), said he agreed to the renewal of his family and political ties with Paglas, president of the banana-producing Paglas Corp., as a religious gesture and in the spirit of Islamic fraternalism.

Ampatuan said he himself could not believe that Paglas showed up at his farmhouse in Barangay Bagong in Shariff Aguak and shook his hand.

Ampatuan and the six-foot tall Paglas hugged each other tightly, assuring each other that they would forget their political differences and work hard for the attainment of lasting peace in Maguindanao.

Ampatuan said he and Paglas agreed to have "common political plans" during the 2008 ARMM elections.

"The purpose of such a commitment is for our camps not to become rivals again during the next ARMM elections," Ampatuan said in the Maguindanaon dialect.

Among those present during the reconciliation meeting were elders of both the Ampatuan and Paglas clans and religious leaders.

The news elated Senior Superintendent Akmad Mangelen, ARMM police director, who said that such a solidarity of local leaders complements the peace initiatives of President Arroyo in the South.

Paglas’ gubernatorial bid during the Aug. 8 regional elections forced his brother, Mayor Abubakar Paglas of Datu Paglas town, to withdraw support for Datu Zaldy Ampatuan, who ran under the banner of Lakas-CMD.

Paglas earlier said he was not bitter about his defeat, expressing belief that as a Muslim, it was his bagi, or destiny, to lose in the polls.

Ampatuan said he is convinced that his renewed ties with Paglas will usher in favorable developments in the provincial political scene.

The Ampatuan and Paglas clans both belong to Maguindanao’s Moro royalty.