Search for Maguindanao mayor suspected for murder launched

MAGUINDANAO, Philippnes - Police launched on Friday an extensive search for the mayor of Shariff Aguak town who abandoned her post after a court issued a warrant for her arrest in connection with a murder case.

Mayor Zahara Ampatuan, who has been out of office for weeks now, has temporarily been replaced by Vice Mayor Marop Ampatuan, who assumed as acting mayor on September 17 based on the Local Government Code and a written imprimatur from the municipal council.

Chief Supt. Noel Delos Reyes, police director for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, on Saturday told reporters plainclothes operatives are now trying to locate the whereabouts of Mayor Ampatuan.

The search for the missing mayor began started Friday, Delos Reyes said.

The missing official is wife of former Shariff Aguak Mayor Anuar Ampatuan, one of the detained principal suspects in the infamous November 23, 2009 massacre of 58 people, more than half of them journalists, in Barangay Masalay in Ampatuan municipality.

A court in Cotabato City had earlier issued a warrant for Mayor Ampatuan's arrest in connection with the April 3 murder of Alfredo Amelista, who was secretary of Shariff Aguak’s municipal council.

Two others, Kanurin Tayuan and Rambo Guiasalam, were also charged with murder along with the mayor.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan, meanwhile, started discharging the functions of a municipal chief executive last Thursday.

The ARMM's local government secretary, lawyer Anwar Malang, said as an acting mayor, Vice Mayor Ampatuan should manage Shariff Aguak's local government unit only on a ministerial capacity.

Malang said as a "steward" of the Shariff Aguak LGU, the vice mayor cannot appoint, or terminate subordinate-employees.

"His being acting mayor is only temporary. If Mayor Ampatuan, free from legal impediments whatsoever, returns to work, there must be a peaceful turnover of the mayoral post and Vice Mayor Ampatuan shall revert to his position as elected municipal vice-mayor," Malang said.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan announced on Saturday over Catholic-run station dxMS in Cotabato City that he will abide by regulations governing his being caretaker of the Shariff Aguak local government unit.

"I will not have problem obeying the rules set by the Local Government Code," the vice mayor said.