In Basilan, the Akbars fall, the Hatamans rise

NEW FACESFormer Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman, who is leading the congressional race for the lone seat in Basilan, and wife Sitti Djalia Turabin Hataman, the mayor-elect of Isabela City. —Julie Alipala

ISABELA CITY — They say nothing is permanent in politics and this is what is happening now with the defeat of the Akbar clan that used to lord it over Basilan province.

In their place, the Hatamans are poised to rise.

Noor Saada, the project manager of Modelling Inter-LGU Alliance in Basilan said the exit of the Akbar family actually began with the death in 2007 of the family’s patriarch, Wahab Akbar, then the congressional representative of the island-province that has a population of nearly half a million.

Wahab was killed in an explosion at the Batasan Pambansa in November 2007. His first wife, the first female representative from Basilan, Jum Jainuddin Akbar, followed nine years later in 2016 when she succumbed to a heart ailment.

“I think the demise of Wahab and his wife left the clan without strong leadership to continue, to consolidate and to lead them,” Saada said.

Akbar, who became governor in 1998, was the most feared political figure in Basilan due to his iron-fist policy, especially against the Abu Sayyaf Group.

During his administration, from the time he was governor up to the the time he was in Congress, only his anointed filled up local posts. He tapped his immediate families and wives, one of whom was Isabela City Vice Mayor Cherrylyn Akbar.

New landscape

However, in the midterm elections, after serving for three terms as regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Mujiv Hataman, decided to run for the province’s lone congressional seat.

He also fielded his wife, Djalia Sitti Turabin Hataman, for mayor of Isabela City against Cherrylyn Akbar.

The initial results of the elections, however, gave birth to a new political landscape in Basilan, putting an end to the Akbars’ leadership of over two decades.

On Tuesday, Cherrylyn, who garnered 18,084 votes, conceded defeat to Djalia Sitti, who won with 25,385 votes.

The Hatamans who ran from Congress, governor and town mayors were either poised to win or leading in the canvassing of votes for their respective seats.

On Wednesday, Mujiv was way ahead in the official canvass with 116,683 votes against Omar Akbar, nephew of Wahab Akbar, who got 27,817 votes.

For the gubernatorial post, Jim Salliman Hataman, the eldest brother of Mujiv, was ahead by a small margin against rival Alfiyah Akbar Fernandez. Jim got 77,041 votes while Alfiyah got 72,328 votes.

Political dynasty

Mujiv said he expected that their detractors would use the issue of political dynasty against them.

“As always, even during my time as party list representative (Anak Mindanao), every time the bill on anti-dynasty was filed, I always sponsored it and I was consistent in pushing for this bill,” he said.

“My advocacy will never change. I always believe that the political leadership should not only come from one family.”

There are also Hatamans fielded in various local positions.

In Sumisip town, Adnan Hataman, a cousin of Mujiv, is leading the race for mayor. Hataman’s younger brother, Gulam, is also leading in the vice mayoral position in the same town.