Hussin citizenship under scrutiny

Administration candidates Parouk Hussin and Mahid Mutilan won by a landslide in the gubernatorial and vice gubernatorial race for the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) but opposition charges that Hussin holds Swedish nationality could delay his formal swearing in.

Hussin, the standard bearer of the Strong National Union of Christian Democrat (LAKAS NUCD), which is led by President Gloria Arroyo, garnered a total of 585,435 votes, enjoying a 347,567 lead against his competitor Ibrahim Paglas who had 237,868 votes.

Mutilan, with 549,705 votes, had a wide lead over Benjamin Loong, who polled 247,432 votes for the position of the vice governor.

The ARMM areas include Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Marawi City, Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, and Sulu in the southern Philippines.

The expansion of the ARMM from four provinces to five and one city, in a referendum for autonomy the second time around last August was part of the provisions of the 1996 government-Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) peace settlement.

The ARMM elections held on November 26, was the last part of phase one of the peace settlement.

Earlier, Paglas called for a delay in the proclamation of winners, adding the Comelec must first respond to the protests filed for Hussin's disqualification because of his alleged Swedish citizenship.

But the swearing in of Parouk Hussin as the incoming governor of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) might be delayed because of a disqualification cases filed against him due to his Swedish citizenship.

"We have to clear this. I don't know if he has renounced his Filipino citizenship," said Sixto Brillantes, lawyer of another aspiring ARMM governor Ibrahim Paglas III.

"I am just wondering why they are so adamant in pushing through with the canvassing of certificates of canvass on Monday night," said Brillantes.

Hussin went to Sweden during the time of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 70s, to seek political asylum, following the separatist war waged by the MNLF which left 120,000 dead in the 70s.

Hussin's lawyer Leila de Lima Bohol, said the citizenship issue has long been settled, adding when Hussin went to Sweden seeking political asylum, the Swedish law did not require him to renounce his Filipino citizenship.

Earlier, in an interview with Gulf News, Hussin said he was aware that his critics and political rivals could raise his alleged foreign citizenship against him.

As a former MNLF militant and as foreign minister of the MNLF, he claimed he needed mobility including other passports at a time when the Philippine government had cancelled his travel documents.

Paglas asked the Comelec to settle Hussin's alleged Swedish citizenship before proclaiming the latter as the new ARMM governor.

Other rivals, Faisal Lao and Pala Dipatuan filed their complaint against Hussin before the November 26 ARMM polls.

"I don't know why the Comelec is deliberating on the case only now," said Paglas who also accused Hussin of vote buying. He filed his complaint on November 29.

In several precincts in Basilan, Sulu and Lanao del Sur, the board of election inspectors had uncovered ballots that were already filled up with Hussin's name. The Comelec is currently investigating the incident.

Hussin and his running mate, Dr Mahid Mutilan, are the virtual winners based on latest Comelec official canvassing results and the National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) tally.

Hussin has vehemently denied the charges of vote-buying. "How can someone who does not have money buy votes?" he said, but admitted that he "does not have control over other people (his supporters)".

"The result of the election would clearly show that the government was serious in dictating its will to the people of the ARMM," Paglas said, adding the presidential palace was sure of victory because of massive cheating in favour of its candidates.