Hataman scion leads in Basilan 3rd District race, set to keep BARMM Parliament seat

Abrar Jainuddin Hataman/Facebook

Abrar Hataman is an incumbent parliament member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority and the nephew of Basilan's governor and vice governor

MANILA, Philippines – The Hatamans are set to further solidify their hold over Basilan, with Abrar Hataman leading the 3rd District representative race in the province. He has been an appointed parliament member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) since 2025.

Hataman has obtained 43,451 votes, as of 8:59 pm, so far topping the Basilan 3rd District representative race. This is based on the 86.80% of total election returns for the 2026 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections Monday night, September 14.

The 26-year-old is the nephew of brothers Mujiv Hataman and Jim Hataman-Salliman, Basilan governor and vice governor, respectively. The clan is allied with the Bangsamoro Federalist Party (BFP), under which Abrar’s relative, Jay Hataman-Salliman, is gunning for representative in Basilan’s 4th District.

Hataman’s profile on the BTA website said he started as a “local youth advocate” and later became a “young entrepreneur and a community development leader.” His LinkedIn profile showed that he used to be president of the Metronoia Corporation and chief operating officer of Coffee Hour.

He also comes from the Yakan tribe, a cultural community concentrated in the Basilan towns of Tipo-tipo, Lamitan, Sumisip, and Tuburan. Abrar is a resident of Sumisip.

The Hataman scion is enjoying a wide lead over his only rival. Bangsamoro Party candidate Khan Hasalal, a resident of Ungkaya Pukan, currently has 4,444 votes.

Hataman is now set to serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026, to June 30, 2031, like the 31 other district representatives making up 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament. – Rappler.com