COTABATO CITY – While jailed former Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari lost his bid for the Sulu governorship, the MNLF has won a seat in the House of Representatives.
The newly elected governor of Sulu, Hadji Sakur Tan, and his running mate, now second-term Vice Gov. Lady Anne Sahidullah, both said the MNLF, through its chief of staff, Yusoph Jikiri, can now introduce legislation that can complement the Mindanao peace process.
Jikiri was proclaimed the winner in Sulu’s second congressional district race over the weekend.
Tan, Jikiri’s political benefactor, said he is reaching out to the MNLF with an assurance that he, along with the newly elected congressman, will focus on programs that could hasten the socio-economic empowerment of areas where MNLF members reside.
Tan said he will encourage Sahidullah, who will preside over the provincial board, to pass ordinances that can accelerate peace and sustainable development in known MNLF strongholds in Sulu.
Misuari, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao from 1996 to 2001, ranked only third in the final tally of votes for Sulu governor, behind re-electionist Sulu Gov. Benjamin Loong.
Some MNLF leaders who did not support Misuari’s candidacy joined Tan’s campaign instead of backing Loong’s bid for a second term.
According to local officials, Loong drew criticisms during the campaign period for doing nothing to help address security problems triggered by the uprising of Misuari’s two loyal followers, Ustadz Habier Malik and Khaid Ajibon.
Misuari has been detained since 2002 for leading a failed mutiny in Jolo, Sulu two weeks before the ARMM elections in November 2001 as he feared being booted out of power.
ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan, chairman of the regional peace and order council, said he will support the peace initiatives of Tan and Jikiri for MNLF communities in Sulu.