COTABATO CITY, Philippines — Maguindanao del Sur Representative Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu has accused a defeated political couple of orchestrating a smear campaign against Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo.

Mangudadatu claims the alleged campaign aims to discredit Lagdameo within the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and secure appointments in the Bangsamoro parliament for the couple.

He identified the couple as Suharto “Teng” Mangudadatu and Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu, parents of Sultan Kudarat Governor Datu Pax Ali Mangudadatu. 

The lawmaker also alleged that they are behind a coordinated effort to undermine Lagdameo’s credibility with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

According to the congressman, attacks on Lagdameo began before the May 2025 elections and continued through the campaign period.

During that time, both Suharto and Bai Mariam Mangudadatu lost their gubernatorial bids in Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur, respectively, to opponents allied with the president’s special assistant.

"With the October 13 BARMM parliamentary elections approaching, we are once again seeing attempts by Gov. Datu Pax Ali and his family to discredit SAP Lagdameo," Congressman Toto said.

"They continue to falsely accuse SAP of being the reason behind the poor performance of the Alyansa coalition’s senatorial slate in the last election, a maliciously false accusation. Now they are spreading baseless claims again linking him to efforts to postpone the BARMM elections," he added.

The solon also stressed that Lagdameo has actively pushed for the realization of a fully functioning parliamentary government in the Bangsamoro region, a presidential directive aimed at ensuring peace, autonomy and development in Mindanao.

In recent weeks, unverified reports have circulated within BARMM alleging that Lagdameo was behind the non-passage of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority bill, which would have allocated seven parliamentary seats for representatives from Sulu province.

There were also accusations that Lagdameo was maneuvering to delay the upcoming 13 October polls.

According to Congressman Toto, these narratives may be part of a larger plot involving a senior Commission on Elections official.

This official is allegedly working with certain BARMM leaders to proceed with the October elections for only 73 of the 80 parliamentary seats, leaving the remaining seven seats to be filled via presidential appointment or a special election.

The same Comelec official is allegedly behind claims that BARMM governors requested a meeting with Marcos and allegedly asked that Lagdameo be excluded from the discussion.

Congressman Toto asserted that the Mangudadatu family’s real objective is to secure appointments to the BARMM parliament if the group led by BARMM Chief Minister Abdulraof Macacua and Lagdameo fails to include all 80 seats in the 13 October vote.

He added that the family is relying on their purported connection with the Comelec official to be considered for presidential appointments, should the seven remaining seats be filled that way.