Hataman re-appoints 4 ARMM execs

COTABATO CITY, Philippines  ---- Newly-elected Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman reinstated Monday four supposedly outgoing regional secretaries based on their efficiency during their 18-month stewardship of their offices.

Hataman told reporters here Monday that he has decided to retain physician Kadil Sinolinding Jr., lawyer Jamar Kulayan, Kahal Kedtag, and Engineer Emil Sadain as ARMM’s health, education, natural resources, and public works secretaries, respectively.

The four secretaries, who filed their courtesy resignation last month after Hataman’s May 13 election as governor of ARMM, were screened by representatives of the Development Academy of the Philippines, which the governor enlisted last week to help oversee the hiring of qualified people to help manage the region.

Hataman said he has appointed an ethnic Tausog engineer, Don Loong, as assistant public works secretary, to help Sadain in the implementation of all projects of the ARMM’s Department of Public Works and Highways.

Sinolinding, an eye surgeon, first got to the helm of the ARMM’s Department of Health in 2011, under the administration of then acting Gov. Ansarudin Adiong.

Hataman first retained Sinolinding, a Maguindanaon, as his health secretary after he was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III in December 2011 as acting chief executive of ARMM following the postponement of the region’s 2011  polls. The deferred ARMM election was held simultaneously with the May 13 polls.

Hataman said he has installed the region’s executive secretary, lawyer Anwar Malang, as secretary of the ARMM’s Department of Interior and Local Government, replacing  Makmod Mending Jr. Hataman said he was to re-enlist Mending, but the latter declined.

Malang had served as three-term member of the Cotabato City council, from 2001 to 2010, prior to his appointment as ARMM's executive secretary in December 2011.

Malang is chairman of the Mindanao Think Tank (MTT), a group of  peace activists and journalists supporting the peace talks between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The chief of the ARMM’s Communications Group, Amir Mawalil, was also appointed executive director of the Bureau of Public information. The ComGroup will work together with the region’s information bureau with Mawalil at its helm, according to Hataman.

Lawyer Ishak Mastura, who had studied international petroleum trading laws in the United Kingdom and was member of the regional cabinet from the time of Gov. Parouk Hussin until December 2011, was appointed chairman of the Regional Board of Investments (RBOI).

Mastura, a 19th-generation descendant of the legendary Moro chieftain  Sultan Kudarat, was chairman of RBOI before Hataman assumed as ARMM’s officer-in-charge in December 2011. Mastura had also served as regional trade secretary under past administrations.

Hataman said newly-elected ARMM Vice Gov. Haroun Lucman, who hails from Lanao del Sur, will function as social welfare secretary of the region on concurrent capacity.

Lucman, a lawyer, was Hataman’s local government secretary before he ran in May for the ARMM’s second highest elective post as candidate of the Liberal Party. - John Unson