MILF bets for Maguindanao del Sur governor, vice governor proclaimed
Lawyer Allan Kadon (2nd from right) leads the Maguindanao provincial board of canvassers in proclaiming Datu Ali Midtimbang as the first elected governor of Maguindanao del Sur following the canvassing of votes inside the Army’s 6th Infantry Division camp in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte. (Photo from DXMS Radyo Bida)
CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte – The Provincial Board of Canvassers (PBC) of Maguindanao del Sur, chaired by lawyer Allan Kadon on Tuesday proclaimed Datu Ali Midtimbang as the first elected governor of the province, trouncing acting governor Bai Mariam Mangudadatu.
The proclamation was held Tuesday afternoon inside the heavily guarded 6th Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.
Midtimbang is the official candidate of United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that forged peace with the government in 2014.
Kadon said Midtimbang got 177,162 votes while Mangudadatu had 144,479 votes, or a margin of 32,683 votes.
The PBC also proclaimed Ustadz Hisham Nando as the first duly elected vice governor of the province. Nando got 176,835 votes, while Datu Benzar Ampatuanhad 134,066 votes.
Kadon said a total of 334,424 out of 451,687 registered voters from 23 of 24 municipalities in the province voted on Monday, or a voter turnout of 74.04%.
He explained that the municipal board of canvassers of Gen. SK Pendatun (GSKP) town has yet to submit the municipal canvass involving 21,326 registered voters to the PBC.
“Considering that the votes in GSKP are irrelevant insofar as the position of governor and vice governor, we decided to proclaim the winners,” Kadon said.
The winner in the congressional contest between former Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu and incumbent Rep. Tong Paglas is yet to be officially determined once the canvass from Gen. SK Pendatun is officially received by PBC.
Based on results from 23 municipalities, Mangudadatu earned 162,220 votes, while Paglas had 150,275.
