GMA intervention sought in Lanao leadership issue

COTABATO CITY — Partymates of President Arroyo in the Lakas-Christian, Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) here have urged her to support their bid for a gubernatorial recall election in the province, which they said is a "party struggle" to unseat Gov. Bashier Manalao.

All of the 30 mayors who filed last week a petition for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to hold a recall election belong to Lakas-CMD.

The mayors, led by Mino Arimao and Macapado Benito of Masiu and Kalanugas towns, respectively, told Mrs. Arroyo in a letter the other day that since people in Lanao del Sur have lost confidence in the leadership of Manalao, it is necessary for her to intervene and help address the controversy as a ranking leader of the party.

The mayors said governance in Lanao del Sur was made more complicated by the charges and countercharges filed against each other by Manalao and the members of the provincial board led by its presiding chairperson Vice Gov. Monera Macabangon.

The 30 mayors have earlier gathered more than 50,000 signatures to their petition for a recall election, now in the central office of the Comelec in Intramuros, Manila.

"We are also appealing to Speaker Jose de Venecia, who is a ranking leader of our party, to help us in our effort to have a recall election," Arimao said.

Manalao was first elected vice governor of Lanao del Sur in the May 2004 elections but assumed the position of provincial governor after the demise of Gov. Mamintal Adiong in the same year.

The proponents of the recall election signed a peace and solidarity covenant during a meeting here the other day.