Newly installed Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Acting Governor Mujiv Hataman and some ARMM officials listen to Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo as the political ally of President Benigno Aquino formally assumes office during a simple ceremony Thursday in Cotabato City Mindanao Examiner Photo)
Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo led the handover of the post to Hataman who replaced ARMM Vice Governor Ansaruddin Adiong. The ceremony was tightly guarded and security forces have surrounded the ARMM complex previously bombed by unidentified assailants.
President Benigno Aquino named Hataman, his political ally as acting regional governor despite strong protest from some sectors and politicians in the ARMM due to his past.
Hataman was implicated in the deadly 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives that killed 6 people, including his political opponent Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar.
The charges against Hataman were dismissed by the Justice department for lack evidence weeks before Aquino signed his appointment paper.
He replaced ARMM Vice Governor Ansaruddin Adiong as acting regional governor. Adiong, an ally of ARMM Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, took over after the politician was arrested and jailed in connection to the brutal killings of 57 people in Maguindanao province in 2009.
Ampatuan and his father, brother and relatives were accused of masterminding the murders – considered as the worst political killings in the country – an allegation they strongly denied.
The Liga ng Kabataang Moro on Thursday warned Hataman that people are getting more critical of the ARMM leadership.
“Since the establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the government has yet to prove that such has indeed served the utmost interest of the Bangsamoro,” said LKM spokesman Yusoph Sabpa.
“As Hataman assumes office more people look forward to his sincerity to the Moro people’s full realization of their right to self-determination, contrary to what the current administration of PNoy is prescribing for Mindanao and the Bangsamoro, as seen in its war-driven all-out-justice.” Sabpa said referring to Aquino.
He said the least that Hataman could do is run his office independently and try to steer the boat from sinking further into corruption and veer away from crafting and supporting more anti-Moro and anti-people policies.
Sabpa also stressed that while their group is critical of ARMM, they are challenging Hataman to put the Bangsamoro interests first rather than engage in pseudo-reforms and programs aimed at neutralizing their legitimate struggles.
The group also warned Hataman of any attempt “to even scratch the long desire of the Bangsamoro to attain genuine autonomy in the region via the government’s counterinsurgency program Oplan Bayanihan.”
“Hataman must be reminded he does not have the trust of the Bangsamoro that he might assume he already has being an appointee of the Aquino administration. As a public official, we challenge Hataman to pursue justice for all the victims of the excesses of the past administrations and ensure that the ARMM could, at the least, serve the Bangsamoro interests and struggles, by advancing the welfare of the people in the region instead of, as in the past, serve those behind his appointment,” Sabpa said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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