Golden Age of Mindanao could happen under Duterte presidency

By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS

DAVAO City–For the first time in Philippine history, politicians from Mindanao would be leading the executive and legislative branches of government–Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as President and two others as Senate President and Speaker.

A lawyer and former prosecutor, Duterte, mayor of Davao for 22 years, would have a “super majority” supporting his legislative agenda when he takes oath on June 30, with Cagayan de Oro-born Sen. Aquilino Martin Pimentel III as likely Senate president, and incoming Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez as likely House Speaker.

About half of Duterte’s intended Cabinet officials also hail from Mindanao.

In the 291-member 16th Congress, there are only 67 from Mindanao in the House of Representatives–59 of them representing congressional districts and the rest, as party-list representatives. In the count for the 17th Congress, Mindanao would still have 59 district representatives and at the very least, five party-list representatives who are also from Mindanao.

In the 24-member Senate, only two are from Mindanao: Pimentel and Teofisto Guingona III. Guingona lost in the recent election but the next Senate would have three from Mindanao: Pimentel, returning Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri of Bukidon and world boxing icon, Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao of Sarangani.

Duterte chairs the PDP-Laban, a party that won only one seat in the Senate and at least three in the Lower House. But other parties coalesced with the PDP-Laban to form what is now being described as a “super majority.”

Already, fears have been expressed that the next Congress would be a mere “rubber stamp.” But both Pimentel and Alvarez say they would not be a “rubber stamp” but a Congress that would implement Duterte’s vision of a country that would change its political system to federalism and restore the death penalty for heinous crimes, among others.

“Look at the senators who are with me,” Pimentel said on Thursday. “They are all independent and strong-willed. I look forward to debates even with the majority. How can such a group be accused to be a rubber stamp?”

Amina Rasul, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), said she is “greatly encouraged” that people from Mindanao would be leading the executive and legislative branches.

“We must also remember that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court is part Mindanawon.  While I do not see them as going overboard to push a Mindanao agenda, my optimism lies in the fact that finally we have leadership at the national level–all branches at that–who understand our issues. This is not being parochial.  The entire country will prosper if Mindanao is developed.  The nation will be stable and secure if peace and order will reign in Mindanao.  A Filipino nation can finally emerge if all the marginalized regions are given their fair share,” Rasul siad.

But Rasul admits she has fears that in Congress, “critical and urgent issues like the peace processes, autonomy and countering violent extremism might be sidelined or bartered in favor of gaining solid majority support for issues such as federalism and economic development.”

Gus Miclat, executive director of the Davao-based Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID), said he has “mixed feelings of optimism and doubt.”

“What will matter is not where you are from but what you stand for. Doesn’t matter if you’re from Mindanao if your position is anti-poor or anti-Moro  and and-IP or anti-structural change as that is the bottomline. Otherwise, it’s politics as usual with the regional and minority card sadly being bandied to access and hold power.”

Robert Marohombsar Alonto of Lanao del Sur, a member of the peace panel of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said with Pimentel and Alvarez, Duterte is assured of support for his legislative agenda.

“This is strategically important to his legislative agenda foremost of which is changing the Constitution to expedite the shift from the current unitary state to federal state. But then again, take note that outgoing President Aquino had control, too, of the two Houses of the Congress given the fact that Senator Franklin Drilon and Congressman Sonny Belmonte, both stalwarts of the Liberal Party, were Senate President and Speaker of the Lower House respectively. Yet, Aquino failed to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law in Congress. We hope that this will not happen to President Digong,” Alonto said.

“Having said that though, we believe he is made of a far, far better stuff than Aquino. As such, we are confident he can make the ‘revolutionary’ change he wants to institute. He has our full support,” Alonto said. “You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”

But Datu Michael Mastura, a political science professor, cautioned that the control of Congress is a result of  “compromises, not real majority party seats.”

“Both Alvarez and Pimentel said they support the shift to federalism. It is rare that the presidency is from Mindanao. We expect congressional leadership to take this flux. I fear that it is ‘tradpol’ politics’ ‘business as usual.’ Duterte’s challenge is to use government largesse for pushing Mindanao’s fair share.”

Mastura described the situation as a “quid pro quo,” a “scratch my back and I will scratch yours” relationship.

“It’s not majority/ minority check and balance after all,” Mastura said, adding that “the reality is  there are no more party whips in both chambers.”

For former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel Jr., what his happening now “could be the Golden Age of Mindanao and Mindaonons.”

“Hence, the challenge is greater than what would ordinarily be the case: for the President from Mindanao, the Senate President from Mindanao and the Speaker from Mindanao to show that they are up to their respective jobs and that they are there to promote the common good, not their personal interests or those of the privileged few,” he said.

Pimentel acknowledged the country is faced with “a very big problem” but is confident that “with God’s help, we will overcome and show the world that Mindanaonons are not second class citizens of the Republic but are as capable as other Filipinos from Luzon or from the Visayas. Or with those from other parts of the world.”