BANGSAMORO Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim and Maguindanao del Norte Gov. Abdulraof Macacua have rejected allegations by a former Sultan Kudarat official that regional funds were misappropriated and that politicians in the autonomous region were coerced to join the administration.
Ebrahim and Macacua said there was neither harassment nor coercion on local officials, contrary to allegations by incumbent Sultan Kudarat Gov. Pax Ali Sangki Mangudadatu who accused special assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo of manuevering local politics against the Mangudadatus.
“We categorically deny the baseless accusations that funds intended for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been misappropriated or that politicians are being coerced to join the administration,” Lagdameo and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo said in a statement.
“These allegations are not only false but malicious, intended to mislead the public,” the statement said.
Ebrahim and Macacua said no coercion or harassment has taken place, adding what was apparently referred to in the allegations was a gathering of BARMM mayors and other prominent leaders in Davao City on Oct. 6.
Ebrahim described the meeting as “peaceful and respectful,” “with no undue pressure exerted on any official.”
Lagdameo explained that his role as special assistant to the President was “to uphold transparency, accountability, and integrity in every aspect of my duties.”
Macacua also dismissed insinuations of corruption in the BARMM, saying fund disbursements were very elaborate in terms of established procedures and auditing rules and regulations. He said these were based on his experience having been executive secretary and later senior minister working under the Office of the Chief Minister.
“As Governor of South Cotabato and National President of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, my focus has been on building partnerships based on shared goals for the nation’s advancement.
We do not engage in any tactics that undermine democratic processes or the political freedom of local officials,” Tamayo said.
“We invite those making these claims to present any evidence they may have, rather than resorting to unfounded statements that distract from the mission of serving the Filipino people.
We remain fully committed to the administration’s agenda of unity, progress, and prosperity for all, including BARMM,” he added.
“The allocation and utilization of funds for BARMM follow legal, transparent processes designed to ensure that they are used exclusively for the development and inclusive growth of the region and its people,” the joint statement of Lagdameo and Tamayo said.
Municipal mayors of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur also denied that any form of coercion that took place during the Oct. 6 meeting in Davao City with regional and national officials.
