CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte โ For the first time since the 1950s, the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat โ originally named Dinaig โ has new leaders from noble Maguindanaon clans that had long been excluded from local governance.
Datu Odin Sinsuat now has a new mayor, Abdulmain Abas, and a new vice mayor, Bobsteel Sinsuat, who were officially proclaimed winners of the May 12, 2025, elections by the Commission on Elections in the newly created province of Maguindanao del Norte.
Abas, Sinsuat Vow to Prioritize Peace and Order
The newly elected mayor and vice mayor ran under the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
Both officials pledged to prioritize peace and order initiatives and to harness the municipalityโs investment potential.
They also said they plan to collaborate with agencies of the Bangsamoro regional government that have socio-economic programs focused on boosting commerce and trade at the community level. They hope to establish partnerships aimed at community empowerment.
โOur style of governance shall be participatory โ one that involves all sectors in Datu Odin Sinsuat,โ the vice mayor-elect said.
Another Historic First
In another historic first, a non-Moro Teduray, Ted Moinget, was elected as a member of the Datu Odin Sinsuat Sangguniang Bayan (municipal council).
โNow the Tedurays will have a voice in our municipal council,โ Mayor-elect Abas said.
The newly elected vice governor of Maguindanao del Norte, Marshall Sinsuat, expressed gratitude to the Moro, Christian and Teduray residents of the town who supported UBJPโs mayoral and vice mayoral candidates.
Both Abas and Sinsuat also thanked former Maguindanao provincial board member Jojo Sinsuat Limbona, who campaigned for them before the May 12 vote.
Limbona, a respected figure from a noble Maguindanaon clan, is widely credited for his active support of the UBJP slate in the municipality.
โTo him we are grateful. He never stopped supporting us despite the overwhelming odds we faced together in our struggle to gain leadership of Datu Odin Sinsuat through the electoral process,โ said Vice Mayor Sinsuat.
(A contributed report)
