By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA — Former Sangguniang Kabataan chair Rayyan Mindalano has established a commanding lead in the race for the Lanao del Sur 7th District seat in the Bangsamoro Parliament, putting him in a strong position to claim the district’s lone seat.
Mindalano, running under the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo (SIAP), was leading former Bacolod-Kalawi mayor Nora Dipatuan of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), according to the latest election results reported Monday night.
The contest also included independent candidates Cardawi Macasilang and Palao Sarangani.
The Commission on Elections had listed Mindalano under the name Ali-Usman S. Mindalano as SIAP’s candidate for the 7th District, while Dipatuan was the UBJP standard-bearer.
Mindalano’s lead emerged as votes were being tallied following the September 14 parliamentary elections, the first regular elections for the Bangsamoro Parliament since the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
The election is a major step in the transition from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority to an elected regional government. The Bangsamoro Parliament will have 80 members, including representatives elected through parliamentary districts, party representation and sectoral seats.
Lanao del Sur is among the key battlegrounds in the regional elections, with the province divided into nine parliamentary districts.
Authorities earlier reported that voting in Lanao del Sur proceeded generally peacefully and orderly, despite the heightened political attention surrounding the province’s contests.
For the 7th District, Mindalano’s substantial advantage placed him ahead of the other contenders as the canvassing process continued.
However, the latest count had yet to constitute a final proclamation. The official result will depend on the completion of the canvass and the formal declaration by election authorities.
ia/xf
