23 Lanao mayors accuse governor of coercion

ZAMBOANGA CITY —- Twenty-three local executives from Lanao del Sur on Friday joined forces with Kapatagan Mayor Raida Maglangit, accusing South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo of pressuring Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) mayors to back a specific political party in next year’s elections.

Maglangit had earlier claimed Tamayo coerced BARMM officials to support the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP) during a meeting in Manila last month. The Lanao del Sur mayors, in a signed manifesto dated 2 July, corroborated Maglangit’s account.

They stated they were present at the 24 June meeting at the Diamond Hotel where Maglangit alleged that Tamayo strong-armed BARMM mayors into supporting the UBJP, threatening them with audits by the Commission on Audit (CoA) if they refused.

The Lanao del Sur mayors said they were invited to the meeting by the BARMM Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) under the pretense of a dialogue with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

“At the outset, we wondered why the governors of Maguindanao del Norte, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi were in that meeting, which was supposed to be called only for the mayors of the BARMM,” they said.

According to the manifesto, the Lanao del Sur mayors were isolated in a function room with Tamayo, where they recounted the events that transpired.

The manifesto further states, “Governor Tamayo was instructed by the President to inform us that the President believes that BARMM must still be MILF-led for one more round because, among others, decommissioning is not yet completed.”

“That before the President comes, Tamayo will report to the President who among us has agreed or disagreed with the President’s wishes,” it added.

The mayors said Tamayo also declared there would be a reshuffling in the BARMM government, including the replacement of the Chief Minister.

“When we finally met the President that same day, the President just reiterated his consistent policy, commitment, and desire that the 2025 BARMM elections be peaceful and transparent,” the manifesto said.

The mayors claimed there was no dialogue with the President as promised in the official invitation from the MILG. They expressed their gratitude to the President for his leadership in ensuring democratic and lawful elections in the BARMM, leading to sustainable peace and development.

The Lanao del Sur mayors condemned the actions of Tamayo, the MILG, and other individuals “who misrepresent and defy the official policy of the President in the 2025 BARMM elections.”

The mayors concluded by expressing their solidarity and support for Maglangit in her pursuit of truth, accountability, and good governance.