Sen. Lapid: Hataman who?

MANILA, Philippines—The name of former Congressman Mujiv Hataman as possible officer in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has made Senator Lito Lapid dumbfounded, at least for a moment.

“Ay hindi ko alam. Kahit sino s’ya e ok lang (I dont know. Whoever he is, it’s ok with me),” Lapid told reporters on Tuesday when asked if he approves of Hataman’s possible appointment in the ARMM.

Asked if he knew Hataman in the first place, Lapid took a long pause before he answered, “Sa personal hindi e. Dahil ako hindi rin ako kilala. Siguro kilala lang ako parang artista (Not in person. Because I myself is not also prominent as senator. Maybe I’m more known as an actor.)

In the interview, Lapid also made a gaffe when he referred President Benigno Aquino as “Mahal na Pangulong Ninoy (Beloved President Ninoy).”

Ninoy is the nickname of martyred Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., father of President Aquino.

But if he had a choice, Lapid said he would rather want ARM M officials to be appointed by the President, and not elected by the people. The same, he said, should also be applied in the Sangguning Kabataan elections.

“Kapag appointed, ora mismo pwede mong tanggalin…I appoint na lang ‘yon e. Lalo na yung mga kabataang barangay, I appoint na lang lalo na yung mga SK. Pag mandated iyan, kahit ano pang gawin n’yan hindi pwedeng alisin,” he said.

Asked if senators should also be appointed, “Dapat pwede rin.. I-appoint na lang kami, sipsipan na lang siguro kami,” Lapid said in jest.

Meanwhile, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV threw support behind Hataman should the President decide to appoint him as officer-in-charge of ARMM.

“Congressman Hataman is very much qualified for the post. If he’s eventually chosen as OIC, he should immediately put into action President Aquino’s reform plan for ARMM,” Trillanes said in a text message.

Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero also posed no objection to Hataman’s appointment but said that whoever is appointed for the post should not embarrass the President.

Escudero said the appointee should also give a commitment that he would not run for the same post in 2013 though there was no prohibition in the law.