MILF’s candidate for Cotabato City mayor assumes office

COTABATO CITY --- The favored candidate for mayor here of the fledgling political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front assumed as the new city chief executive Thursday, June 30.

Mayor Bruce Matabalao, who aspired for mayor here during the May 19, 2022 elections under the banner of the MILF’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party, or UBJP, said he shall focus on peace and development initiatives that would benefit the local Muslim and Christian communities.

He defeated in the recent mayoral race the reelectionist Cynthia Guiani-Sayadi.

Matabalao’s running-mate, Butch Abu, elected Cotabato City vice mayor, also reported to office Thursday.

Abu shall act as presiding chairperson of the Cotabato City Sangguniang Panglunsod.  

Matabalao had served as a member of the Cotabato City council for a number of terms.

He resigned last year as city councilor to join the BARMM government as a career service official but eventually got anointed as UBJP’s candidate for Cotabato City mayor, along with Abu as running-mate.

Senior UBJP officials and BARMM executives attended Matabalao’s symbolic assumption to office, held at the Cotabato City People’s Palace, seat of the local government unit.

Matabalao had earlier said his administration will focus on peace and development initiatives centered on all three groups in the city, the Moro, non-Moro, or Christian communities and the indigenous people.

He had also said he shall work closely with the barangay governments, the Cotabato City Police Office and the military in maintaining law and order in all four corners of Cotabato City.