MAGUINDANAO (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 14, 2014) – A southern Philippine town mayor has again earned accolade for her continued support to the government’s peace and development efforts in Mindanao.
Shariff Aguak Mayor Zahara Upam Ampatuan was cited by other municipal officials, the military and even the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), among others.
The MILF and Mayor Mariam Sangki Mangudadatu of Datu Abdullah Sangki in Maguindanao province presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Mayor Upam Ampatuan for her support to information drive of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement and the peace process between the Aquino government and the rebel group.
Before his promotion to a higher post, Col. Edgar Gonzales, then commander of the 1st Mechanized Brigade, also handed to Mayor Upam Ampatuan another Plaque of Appreciation for her support to the military.
Gonzales said the plaque given to Mayor Upam Ampatuan is “in grateful appreciation of her invaluable support and selfless assistance during implementation of peace and security activities of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade which greatly contributed to the successful accomplishment of the unit’s overall mission.”
Gonzales, who has been recently promoted deputy division commander in Tarlac province in Luzon, was replaced by Col. Gener Del Rosario.
The 6th Infantry Division under Maj. Gen. Romeo Gapuz and Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu also handed Mayor Upam Ampatuan another certificate for her participation in the provincial planning workshop on peace and security and development dubbed as “Kadtatabanga para sa Maguindanao.”
The MILF has previously cited Mayor Upam Ampatuan’s efforts to bring peace not only in the province, but the region as well.
The rebel group, which is currently negotiating peace with Manila, surprised the mayor with two awards that coincided with the recent 18th anniversary of Shariff Aguak town. The awards were handed to the mayor by Ustadz Abdulwahid Tundok, a senior MILF leader who is now campaigning for peace in Mindanao.
Ustadz Tundok has spoken nothing, but praises for the mayor, also a known philanthropist in Maguindanao.
“In honoring the extraordinary efforts and assistance as a local government chief executive and public servant rendered for the greater success of the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Peace Process, further bolstered with the signing of the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro at Malacanang Palace on October 15, 2012 and hearing the commitment and resolve that prove beneficial in sustaining the support and ownership to the peace process and the facilitation of understanding and cooperation amongst peoples regardless of race and religion geared at winning the peace for the country and the Bangsamoro aspirations justice, peace, prosperity, self-governance and right to self-determination for a better future of our children and generations to come,” Mohagher Iqbal, MILF vice chairman and chief peace negotiator, said in his Tribute of Commendation to the politician.
The MILF Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities also awarded Mayor Upam Ampatuan with a plaque for her support to the cease-fire accord between the government and the rebel group.
“For her invaluable and unwavering cooperation and support to the duties and functions of the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities in partnership with the Malaysian-led International Monitoring Team composed of the governments of Malaysia, Brunei, Japan, Norway, Indonesia, and European Union in the implementation and monitoring of the GPH-MILF agreements on general cessation of hostilities, socio-economic reconstruction, civilian protection and humanitarian rehabilitation and development, thus sustaining the goodwill, confidence-building measures and momentum for the success of the GPH-MILF Peace Process,” said Abbas Salung, the chairman of the MILF CCCH, in a Plaque of Recognition, he gave to Mayor Upam Ampatuan.
The mayor said she appreciated the awards and largely credited the people in Shariff Aguak town for the praises she received from the MILF, saying without the support of her constituents it would be impossible to promote peace in the town and even in the Muslim region.
“Ang mga awards na ibinigay sa akin ay awards na rin ng bawat isang mamamayan dito sa Shariff Aguak dahil ako ay instrumento lamang ng lahat na mga nagnanais ng kapayapaan hindi lamang dito sa aming bayan at lalawigan ng Maguindanao, kundi ng buong bansa,” Mayor Upam Ampatuan told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
“Ako ay nagpapasalamat sa lahat ng mga mamamayan at ang ibat-ibang sektor sa Shariff Aguak at Maguindanao, at sa ARMM sa kabuuan dahil sa kanilang suporta sa peace process ng ating pamahalaan sa Mindanao. Nangako po tayo na lalong natin itataguyod at palalakasin ang suporta sa peace process at sa Bangsamoro political entity na isinusulong ni Pangulong Benigno Aquino,” she said. (Mark Navales)
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