Akbars, Hatamans sign peace pact

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Philippines – Two top political clans yesterday ended their bitter and bloody war in this strife-torn and impoverished province with the signing of a peace covenant. 

Basilan Gov. Jum Akbar and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) officer-in-charge Gov. Mujiv Hataman led more than 5,000 Basileños in the signing of the “covenant of solidarity for peace and development” at the Basilan State College.

The signing was witnessed by Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles, the governors of Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and members of the Hataman and Akbar clans.

“From this day and onwards no more supporters will be called for the Hatamans and the Akbars, instead supporters for peace and development of Basilan. Indeed, politics of guns, goons and gold must end today,” Hataman said in his speech after the signing.

Hataman called on local political leaders to sacrifice their interest in the name of service for the peace, solidarity and development of Basilan.

Hataman called on ARMM folk not to allow “outsiders” to develop perceptions that Muslims do not know how to lead and serve just because of political greed.

For his part, Akbar said it was not an easy decision for his family, but in the interest of the people of Basilan, they eventually supported the unification and reconciliation of the two warring clans.

Robredo said he believes that efforts of the two powerful clans would bring more benefits to the province, which has lagged behind due to political squabbles.

He said he is also looking forward to reconcile warring political clans in other provinces like Masbate where the situation, he said, is worse than in Basilan.

The Akbars and Hatamans used to be political allies, until the 2004 elections when they parted ways, fielding their own candidates in the subsequent polls.

The rivalry came to a head when the Akbars’ patriarch, then congressman Wahab Akbar, was killed in a bomb explosion on Nov. 13, 2007 at Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City.

Formal charges were subsequently filed against Hataman and his brother Jim, the incumbent Basilan congressman, and former House deputy speaker Gerry Salapuddin.