Ex-mayor takes BARMM seat in Maguindanao del Sur’s 5th District

BARMM POLLS. Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali is the former mayor of General Salipada K. Pendatun, where his wife, Mielyn Ali, is the incumbent mayor.

Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali's Facebook page

With both his opponents out of the race, Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali is now assured victory in the 5th District of Maguindanao del Sur

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Former General Salipada K. Pendatun mayor Rafsanjani Pendatun Ali is now assured victory in the 5th District of Maguindanao del Sur during the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections, after both his opponents were either disqualified or withdrew from the race.

Ali, who ran under the Bangsamoro Federalist Party led by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Interim Chief Minister Abdulraof “Sammy Gambar” Macacua, received 42,335 votes, according to 57.46% of total election returns as of September 14, 7:44 PM.

One of the former mayor’s opponents, Bangsamoro Party bet Nasser Guialal Dalgan, officially withdrew from the race right before the polls closed. The party is affiliated with the Moro National Liberation Front and is led by Bangsamoro Minister for Labor and Employment Muslimin Sema.

Dalgan has obtained 25,460 of the votes so far, though these will be considered stray votes.

Disqualified candidate Anwar Salipada Alamada also has 231 votes as of writing, still considered stray. He is the bet of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s United Bangsamoro Justice Party whose candidacy had been cancelled months ahead of the polls over allegations that he is not a resident of the district he ran for.

An appeal against his disqualification remains pending at the Supreme Court, according to the UBJP. – Rappler.com