Hataman revamps ARMM officials

COTABATO City - The executive department of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) initiated an initial revamp in its leadership structure to boost its public service thrusts.

Regional governor Mujiv Hataman on Saturday said he has appointed his chief-of-staff, Amihilda Sangcopan, as new regional agrarian reform secretary.

Sangcopan replaced Makmilan Lucman, who was installed as provincial director for Lanao del Sur of the region's Department of Interior and Local Government.

Sangcopan’s former post was taken over by lawyer Rasol Mitmug Jr., erstwhile deputy regional executive secretary.

Mitmug, a scion of a big Maranaw clan in Lanao del Sur, had served as appointed speaker of the ARMM’s 24-seat Regional Assembly for about two years before he became deputy executive secretary under the Office of the Regional Governor, touted as the region’s “Little Malacañang.”

Mitmug said he is facing a big challenge to at least be at par, if not surpass the performance of Sangcopan as Hataman'schief-of-staff.

Lawyer Laisa Alamia, incumbent regional executive secretary, said Hataman had also appointed Dimnatang Radia as new administrator for the region’s Cooperative Development Authority.

Radia replaced Abdulrashid Ladayo Sr., who recently joined the National Food Authority in Region 12, which is under the national government.

Alamia said Hataman also appointed his executive assistant, John Louie Balagot, as regional deputy executive secretary and Luningning Omar as the commissioner for ARMM’s island provinces of the region’s Commission on Higher Education.

The ARMM covers Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, which are both in mainland Mindanao, and the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.