3-cornered fight for Cotabato City mayor

COTABATO CITY -- It will be a three-cornered fight for mayorship of Cotabato City
after a veteran House representative and a neophyte aspirant filed their
respective certificates of candidacy to challenge reelectionist Mayor Cynthia
Guiani-Sayadi.

Mayor
Guiani-Sayadi and her party filed their certificates of candidacy on Day 1 of
filing under One Kutawato Party. Her running mate is incumbent Vice Mayor
Graham Dumama.

On Monday, outgoing
Maguindanao 1st district Rep. Bai Sandra Sema is seeking the
mayorship of Cotabato City while her husband, former City Mayor Muslimin Sema,
is eyeing the congressional seat to be vacated by his wife.

The couple
jointly filed their certificates of candidacy at the city Comelec office along
with the party candidates for the city council.

Rep. Sema’s
running mate is former Vice Mayor Abdullah Andang.

I seek the
mayorship of Cotabato City because I want to continue the infrastructure projects
I have started as congresswoman, Rep. Sema, the House sponsor of Bangsamoro
Organic Law (BOL), said.

Sema, the
chair of a faction of Moro National Liberation Front, said he rejoined politics
mainly to promote peace.

My joining in
the congressional race is the embodiment of our continuing support for peace, Muslimin
Sema told reporters.

Earlier, a
certain James Uytaranco, filed his candidacy for city mayor as an independent
candidate.

Guiani-Sayadi
said One Kutawato is a political party of Cotabatenios whose vision is to promote
development and progress in the city while fostering peace.

She saidand Our
party signifies the unity of Cotabatenios, all sectors are well represented in this
party…this party will give people the voice to be heard in the political arena.