Mindanao peace advocate calls for sobriety and calm amid political tensions in Kauswagan

KAUSWAGAN, Lanao del Norte--The Mindanao People’s Caucus calls Saturday for sobriety and calm among the supporters of different camp of politicians in the Municipality of Kauswagan Lanao del Norte amid political tension between the two strong political clans.

Pastor Reu Montecillio of Evangelical Church and vice president of the Mindanao People’s Caucus, a peace institution based in Davao City has called among the supporters of Mayor Romel C. Arnado and his May 10, 2010 mayoral opponent Kasan Maquiling for sobriety and remain clam.

The Pastor’s statement came after he heard an announcement on Friday using a sound system placed in a barangay vehicle about the rally in the Kauswagan Municipal plaza of May 10, 2010 defeated mayoral candidate Kasan Maquiling against Mayor Arnado.

For two days now, the Civil Security Unit of Mayor Arnado heightened alert and guarded different entry points of the Municipal Plaza towards the Municipal hall amid report of huge numbers of protesters to arrive, but no protest happened and even one protester seen, Pastor Montecillio said.

“I called all supporters of both political camps for sobriety and remain calm and do not put the law in your hands by virtue of political insinuation and let the proper authority to resolve any political problem in the name of peace”, Pastor Montecillo stressed.

Both camps could not yet be reached for comment on Friday on the veracity of the issue, but one of the municipal employees who hidden his identity said that before the May 10, 2010 election, defeated candidate Kasan Maquiling legally challenged the citizenship of now Mayor Romel Arnado.

The case had not been decided before the election, but now the decision is there which has yet to be implemented in favor of the defeated candidate that has created political tensions over the place that made confusion of the people, the informant said.

Informant said that Maquiling was a three term Mayor of the Municipality of Munai, Lanao del Norte, an interior town of the province, and the law disallowed him from running another term that made him to run for Mayor in the coastal town of Kauswagan but unfortunately defeated.

On the other hand, Immigration record shows that the current Mayor Arnado of Kauswagan who defeated Maquiling on May 10, 2010 election was an American citizen.

Mayor Arnado arrived in the Philippines on January 12, 2010 with a flight number PR105, Philippine Airlines with a nationality of USA-American and later went abroad and on March 23, 2010 he came back to the country with a flight number PR103 Philippine Airlines and bearing his nationality as USA- American, Immigration official, certified.(TITO FIEL)