Authors: Algamar Latiph Cris Gaerlan and a family member NOTE from Latiph: I made 53 footnotes for reference

& verification all from news print.

Page 1

Mujiv S. Hataman:
His Life and Leadership
I.

Mujiv S. Hataman is the seventh sibling of Hja. Jamila Salliman and Hji. Sulaiman Hataman. Born in 1972 at Barangay Buli-Buli, Sumisip, Basilan. Mujiv comes from a family of local leaders. My father is not a political animal but he is an undefeated Barangay Captain since the time of [former Philippine president Ferdinand] Marcos, he said. The older Hataman inherited his position from his father, a Panglima (Yakan tribal leader) of Sumisip when the place was just a tribal village, and one of the first City Councilors of Basilan.i He finished his elementary education in 1984 at Barangay Buli-Buli. His secondary education on the other hand was earned in 1988 at the Sumisip National High School, graduating Salutatorian. He is an undergraduate of Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering with AMA Computer University in Manila. His progressive-bent political career started in 1989 when he joined the student activists who marched the streets and bannered the cause of the Moro People in the quest of the much evasive Right to Self Determination and a peaceful solution to the Mindanao Question. Joining the Manila based Bangsamoro Student Association in 1989 to 1992, his political consciousness evolved with a deeper grasp on the ebb and flow of the Mindanao politics as well as its web of interrelations among the Mindanaoans, the Moro, Lumad and the Christian Settlers. With the aim of expanding the gains achieved in Manila, he founded the Kahapan-Basilan Inc. (What is now Kahapan Foundation) in 1995 in response to the alarming human rights violations committed by the military and the secessionist groups based in Basilan to the innocent civilians in the middle of conflict. Advocating Peace and Development for Basilan, he earned the respect of prominent political figures in the province and made himself known at the national and international levels. As an active player in the political arena in Basilan, he is responsible in shaping the peace and development programs spurred by the Governor and Mayors of the Province. At the international

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level he is involved in the International Solidarity Work since 1997 and is a consistent advocate for the peace and development via Right to Self Determination of the tri-peoples in Mindanao. In the year 2000, he was nominated as the number one (1) nominee for the AMIN (Anak Mindanao) Party List and joined the House of Representatives nine (9) months before the adjournment of the 12th and for the entire 13th Congress. To date, he is one of the representatives of Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-List for the 14th Congress. In Congress, Mujiv Hataman is the only legislator who made the first step forward to synchronize Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao election with the national in local elections as an instrument of reform. As early as July 7, 2008, he filed a petition with the Supreme Court on to nullify Republic Act 9333 as unconstitutional and to have it synchronized so that reform in ARMM may begin.ii He was able to win a seat in Congress for Anak Mindanao Party-list by consolidating votes from Muslim and non-Muslim communities. While in Congress, he was one of the very few who courageously spoke out against the excesses of the previous administration and the human rights violations against Muslims, and the only Muslim legislator who stood up for then President Arroyos impeachment.iii Reform in the ARMM is not new to him. A day before the State of the Nation Address on July 2005 he called the attention of the government to address massive poverty in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,iv in a speech before the Muslim community in Taguig City. He further stated that: "Kailangan natin ng isang bagong gobyerno na may representasyon ang lahat ng batayang sektor sa lipunan. Isang gubyerno na may representasyon ang mamamayang Moro at katutubo sa pagpapatakbo at pagtatakda ng polisiya na makakaapekto sa kanilang kinabukasan at kabuhayan."v In order to enhance ARMMs development, he actively participated in the House Committee on Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Affairs.vi Hataman had perfect attendance during 14th Congress.vii He coauthored House Bill 3827 to strengthen rural banks.viiiHe is one of the congressmen who strongly worked for the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reform Law (CARPER).ix When the price of rice soared from P41 to P52 per kilo he was the only Mindanaoan Congressman who called for the inspection of rice warehouses to avoid rice hoarding.x He stressed a composite team must be formed to

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prevent conspiracy among inspectors of warehouses. It should be done regularly all over the country.xi Hindi dapat ningas-kugon at reactionary and that there is no logical reason for the sudden increase of rice prices but price speculation. We should prevent these corrupt traders from continuing their immoral act of looting the peoples very meager hard-earned money. I dont buy this situation because Mindanao is supposedly the food basket of the country, Hataman said."xii As an environmentalist, he pointed out that there were 2,000 hectares being subjected to logging operation in Basilan and call for the stop of the illegal logging in the area.xiii Quote from a news report In Congress, Anak Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman described the massive cutting of trees in the provinces of Basilan, Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi and Lanao del Sur as an accident waiting to happen." xiv He is persistent in making education as the first priority of the government. He was one of the lawmakers who filed a resolution asking the government to make basic education the primary beneficiary of its P25.2billion take from the sale of government shares in the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.xv In a joint statement, he expressed that this effort is to "give more meaning to the mandate of the Constitution for the State to assign the highest budgetary priority to education."xvi During the mass deportation of thousands of undocumented children of Filipino workers in Malaysia, he pushed for a program to insure that they will get proper education.xvii He was part of the Philippine delegation in the World e-Parliament conference, an annual forum of the community of parliaments addressing, from both the policy and technical perspectives, how the use of information and communication technology can help improve representation, transparency, accountability, openness, and effectiveness in the complex parliamentary environment.xviii II. He courageously filed an Impeachment Complaint along with other lawmakers against former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.xix In fact, his act of walking out of the plenary and throwing away bundle of journals became the poster image in the media of the first impeachment against Arroyo. Hataman had unmasked the anomalies in the Road Users Tax. As reported in Manila Standard: The P2.045 billion bonus - which was

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reportedly released in two tranches of P145 million and then P1.9 billion -was discovered by Anak Mindanao party-list Rep. Mujiv Hataman who revealed his findings during the budget hearing of the DPWH at midweek.xx Thus, he called for the congressional inquiry of this anomaly.xxi He strongly criticized the double insertion of the C5 project which was included and passed in the 2008 national budget.xxii He is the only member of the 14th Congress who moved for the deferment of the DPWH budget deliberation at the Committee level, despite lobbying from the Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations for immediate approval of the departments budget. He called for this deferment when the department failed to explain why under the Road for Peace in Conflict Affected Areas Project there was no allocation for Muslim Mindanao areas. He is an advocate of sound financial policy in the government. Hataman pushed for reform in the government- owned and controlled corporations considering their heavy indebtedness and mismanagement. He was quoted saying: "Reforms must be made in these institutions because they are causing a financial hemorrhage. The heads of these GFI and GOCC have a lot of explaining to do and they should be held accountable because they are supposed to protect the public interest."xxiii When the irregularities in the collection of taxes from quarrying and hauling of Mt. Pinatubo sand in Pampanga, as member of the House Committee on Good Government he was among the solons who initiated its investigation.xxiv III. Mujiv S. Hataman is publicly known as a peace advocate. He had called for more transparency in the peace process. He supported the creation of a congressional advisory panel on the peace negotiations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to prevent the occurrence of another controversial agreement adding that: "That would be better... There would be more transparency."xxv He filed House Bill 1804 which calls for the declaration of the Peace Zone as a people-initiated, community-based arrangement in a local geographical area. In the Peace Zone, residents in these areas will themselves declare it to be off-limits to armed conflict to protect the civilians, livelihood and property, and to contribute to a more comprehensive peace process. He averred that: The idea of a peace zone first cropped up in 1988 and has since taken root in a number of places in the country buffeted by internal armed conflict, continued The bill provides that peace zones shall be oriented to

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the peace process and not for counter-insurgency purposes or for rebel basebuilding.xxvi Through his initiative a Mindanao Garden of Peace was erected in the Corregidor Island, at the very site of the Jabidah Massacre, as a tribute to the Moro mujahideens. It was his utmost intention to commemorate the Muslim Filipinos contribution in the struggle against oppression and injustice. xxvii As a peace-maker he facilitated the peaceful resolution of a rido or family feud for nearly 50 years in Sumisip Basilan between Narding Damahan and Asaddi Arai on October 4, 2008.xxviii He was one of the first Mindanao lawmakers who called for the government immediate action to restore peace in Maguindanao after the Massacre in the Province of Maguindanao in November 2009 stating that: We call on authorities not to leave the place to prevent the violence from escalating. We condemn this barbaric act. We hope the government will be able to come up with an immediate and extensive solution and that it should make sure the massacre will not go unpunished.xxix Hataman authored House Resolution 589 which was later signed by 75 congressmen calling on the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to immediately effect a ceasefire in Sulu and other parts of the country.xxxWe don't need war in Mindanao.xxxi The best proposal is a ceasefire, we cannot allow more people to die," he said.xxxii In order to maintain the peace in the region, he initiated the filing of House Resolution 578 after Malaysia pulled out from the International Monitoring Team (IMT) tasked to oversee a ceasefire agreement between the military and MILF. Later, 74 lawmakers signed a resolution asking Malaysia to continue brokering peace talks between the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). In a statement he stressed that We recognize the gains of the IMT under the leadership of the Malaysian contingent, especially in monitoring the parties (government and MILF) adherence to the agreements [on] the ground, thereby providing a conducive atmosphere for negotiations, Hataman said.xxxiii Along with other lawmakers, he condemned the deadly bombings on Valentine's Day as cowardly and deplorable. He described the attacks as "evil and horrible atrocities against innocent people, the highest stage of cowardice. . . . No amount of reason or justification can give moral basis on the use of violence especially if the victims are innocent civilians."xxxiv Hataman, along with Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio of Mindanao, demanded that the military and the police make a full accounting of the

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intelligence funds the government has allocated in preventing such incidents.xxxv He consistently fought against warlordism. On 2004, he filed House Resolution No. 232 seeking an investigation into the continued existence of private armies of local politicians.xxxvi As shown in the Philippine Daily Inquirer:xxxvii
Anak-Mindanao Party List Rep. Mujiv Hataman urged law enforcement agencies to "seriously implement" President Macapagal-Arroyo's order to stop the proliferation of unregistered firearms and dismantle private armed groups long blamed for the country's worsening peace and order situation. Hataman hinted that provinces in Mindanao which had been turned into the bailiwicks of powerful political warlords should not be exempted from the directive. Hataman said that unless implemented, the President's latest order would add to the current administration's many unfinished programs "because of the lack of political will."

IV. Hataman is a human rights legislator and activist. He filed House Bill No. 3012 otherwise known as Act Prohibiting Discrimination Against Persons on Account of Ethnic Origin and/or Religious Belief. He advocate against discrimination, thus in a privilege speech he condemned the growing discrimination against fellow Muslims in the Philippines. He said that "(To reach) genuine regional and personal autonomy for Muslims inside and outside Mindanao, the obstacle of anti-Muslim discrimination must be removed. I hope we can join hearts, minds and hands in threshing this out in the coming days." xxxviii He was one of the principal authors of House Bill No. 948 or the AntiReligious or Racial Profiling Act of 2009" that prohibits the use in print and broadcast media of racial, ethnic or indigenous characterization which subjects such race, religion, ethnic or indigenous group to humiliation, fear, anxiety, resentment and cynicism.xxxix Because of the increase in the human rights violations in the issuance of State of Emergency in the Province of Sulu, he called for its lifting. He expressed apprehension over the special powers of the local government on this matter. On news interview, he expressed that: We hope that this will pave the way to nothing but the safe release or rescue of the victims. xl

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In 2009, Hataman had expressed concern over the rash of abductions in these Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, which has even exceeded the number of the kidnappers in Mindanao during the height of the Abu Sayyaf kidnappings in thelate 1990s to 2002.xli The Muslim lawmaker noted that 33 kidnap-for ransom cases have been recorded in the past year with a total of P50 million paid in ransom.xlii He called for the House Inquiry of the kidnapping International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) members Andreas Notter, Eugenio Vagni and MaryJean Lacaba who are held by Abu Sayyaf bandits in the jungles of Indanan, Sulu.xliii "There is always a possibility that any public inquiry into the problems of kidnappings by the Abu Sayyaf terrorist elements and other criminal groups could jeopardize the safety of their hostages," he said.xliv As human rights advocate, he petitioned before the Supreme Court against President Arroyo's Presidential Proclamation No. 1017 that authorized arrests without warrant during rallies, arbitrary cancellation of permits to rally, imposition of standards on media and any form of prior restraint on the press, and takeover of privately owned public utility or business affected with public interest.xlv In protecting the interest of the human rights victims, Hataman was always one of the first to respond in cases of demolition of the Muslim informal settlers Metro Manila areas.xlvi He also had caused the rampant investigation of hulidap involving policemen.xlvii He caused the congressional inquiry against the officers involved in human rights violations of 16 Muslims arrested and were not the subject of a warrant of arrest used for the raid on January 7, 2005 raid of an Islamic cultural center in Malate, Manila.xlviii He expressed concern over the plight of civilians caught in the middle of the conflict and had called on the government to take appropriate measures to secure and protect their persons and properties.xlix He was sent as prt of the humanitarian mission to Malaysia to ask Kuala Lumpur authorities for a "smooth and staggered deportation" of Filipino women and children considered illegally staying in Malaysia.l V. Hataman advocated for a free and regular elections and electoral reform has always been his advocacy. After former President Arroyos admission in her phone conversation with Comelec Commissioner Garcillano during the 2004 elections, he issued statement that: "These failures to fully account for

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her acts and the delay of her admission are impropriety on her part which demolished any claim of moral ascendancy to lead this country."li He filed a complaint against Comelec Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano, filing a complaint for perjury, violation of the Passport Act and falsification of documents.lii As well as against then Chairman of the Comelec Abalos for office for betrayal of public trust, culpable violations of the Constitution, bribery, and graft and corruption.liii During the ARMM allegation of election fraud on August 8, 2005 he actively participated in the inquiry of the House committee on suffrage and electoral reforms. Mujiv was the voice of the Muslims in Congress. In one of his interviews before the 2010 election, Mujiv said: What is now running in my mind is between the risk to my family and the risk I would take if I would heed the call to develop Muslim communities in order to resolve the Mindanao conflict. From a bigger picture of the right to selfdetermination of the Bangsamoro people, where there is peaceful coexistence and unity among different peoples of different faiths in a peaceful Mindanao who are enjoying recognition in their identity and experiencing empowerment and good governance. What I would like to see now is to have a model Muslim communities, even at the local level, where what Islam says would be practiced and where there would be active participation from the community. All of this service to the people is ones service to Allah, he remarked.liv

ENDNOTES

Granada, Susan, Case was written for the Asian Institute of Management- TeaM Energy Center for Bridging Societal Divides
i

_____________, Supreme Court asked to stop ARMM election, Manila Bulletin (Manila), July 8, 2005, Metro and National News.
ii iii

Rasul, Amina, Ramadan Kareem, Migz!, BusinessWorld (Manila), August 5, 2011.

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_____________, Solon asks gov't to address mass poverty in ARMM, Manila Bulletin, July 25, 2005, Main News.
iv

_____________, Solon asks gov't to address mass poverty in ARMM, Manila Bulletin, July 25, 2005, Main News.
v

_____________, House committee on EAGA affairs meets in Davao City, Philippines News Agency (PNA), May 8, 2009, Nationwide International News.
vi

Evangelista, Romie A., Assuntas Hubbys Tops House List of Absentees, Manila Standard, October 15, 2007.
vii

Canlas, Jomar, House to suspend BSP's capital requirement for rural banks, Manila Times (Manila), May 19, 2008.
viii

Martin, Sammy, House Committee Approves 5-Year Carp Extension, Manila Times (Manila), April 24, 2008.
ix

_____________, Partylist solon calls the creation of composite team vs rice hoarders, Philippines News Agency (Manila), June 3, 2008, Nationwide International News.
x

_____________, Partylist solon calls the creation of composite team vs rice hoarders, Philippines News Agency (Manila), June 3, 2008, Nationwide International News.
xi

_____________, Partylist solon calls the creation of composite team vs rice hoarders, Philippines News Agency (Manila), June 3, 2008, Nationwide International News.
xii

_____________, Bringing Down the House of Defensor-Santiago, Manila Standard (Manila), February 3, 2005
xiii

_____________, DOJ Sues 9 in Cavite for Illegal Logging, Manila Standard, December 10, 2004
xiv

Cruz, Maricel V., PLDT Stock Profit for Education Govt Told, Manila Times (Manila), February 1, 2007.
xv

Cruz, Maricel V., PLDT Stock Profit for Education Govt Told, Manila Times (Manila), February 1, 2007.
xvi

Alipala, Julie S., Thousands of RP Kids in Malaysia Tagged Refugees, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), November 22, 2006, Across the Nation.
xvii

xviii

Nograles bats for RP to take active role in e-Technology, Philippines News Agency (Manila), November 4, 2009 Wednesday, Nationwide International News. Samonte, Angelo S., Defensor: Simple majority vote on impeachment, Manila Times (Manila, December 4, 2008. xx Pelovello, Roy, Road Tax Misuse, Manila Standard (Manila) September 20, 2008.
xix

_____________, Officials ordered to justify transfer of Road Board funds, Manila Bulletin (Manila), October 13, 2008, Metro and National News.
xxi

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Cagahastian, David, DBM: Bicameral panel should explain double insertion, Manila Bulletin, October 1, 2008, National News.
xxii

Evangelista, Romie A., House Turn to be Scandalized by Smokey, Manila Standard (Manila), September 20, 2004.
xxiii

Orejas, Tonette, House to Hold New Probe of Quarry Scam, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), May 18, 2005, PDI Central Luzon Desk
xxiv

Baldo, Gerry, Creation of bicameral panel on peace process OK with solons, The Daily Tribune (Manila) 9 March 2009.
xxv

_____________, Legislators of party-list groups pushing passage of bill creating 'peace zones', Manila Times (Manila), December 15, 2008
xxvi xxvii

Usman, Edd , 43rd Bangsamoro Freedom Day, Manila Bulletin, March 17, 2011, Regional.

Aliapala, Julie S., When Weaving Does More than Whining, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), October 12, 2008, Across the Nation.
xxviii

_____________, Massacre is single biggest loss of life of journalists, Manila Bulletin, November 24, 2009, Main News.
xxix

Rosario, Ben, 75 solons call for ceasefire; Angara proposes 2-step 'Mindanao Agenda, Manila Bulletin (Manila), February 18, 2005, Main News.
xxx

Rosario, Ben, Solons, Bishops back peace move; Talks with MILF to resume on Aug. 22 NSC meeting held to brief leaders on Mindanao, Manila Bulletin (Manila), Main News.
xxxi

Rosario, Ben, Solons, Bishops back peace move; Talks with MILF to resume on Aug. 22 NSC meeting held to brief leaders on Mindanao, Manila Bulletin (Manila), Main News.
xxxii

_____________, House asks Malaysia to continue brokering peace talks, Philippines News Agency (Manila), May 13, 2008, Nationwide International News. xxxiv Manila Maricel V. Cruz and Patricia Estevess, Legislator Call Cowardly Attacks, Times (Manila), February 16, 2005 Wednesday.
xxxiii

Manila Maricel V. Cruz and Patricia Estevess, Legislator Call Cowardly Attacks, Times (Manila), February 16, 2005 Wednesday.
xxxv

Luige A. del Puerto and Michael Lim Ubac, Muslims with Illegal Firearms Offered Pilgrimage to Mecca, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), April 19, 2005.
xxxvi

Luige A. del Puerto and Michael Lim Ubac, Muslims with Illegal Firearms Offered Pilgrimage to Mecca, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), April 19, 2005.
xxxvii

Balana, Cynthia D., Solon Hits Discrimination vs Muslims, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), November 10, 2004.
xxxviii

_____________, House approves anti-racial, religious discrimination bill, The Filipino Express (Manila), July 17, 2009 - July 23, 2009, SECTION: Pg. 26 Vol. 23 No. 29.
xxxix

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_____________, Sulu Emergency Rule Taking Toll on Poor, Say Critics, Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 6, 2009.
xl

_____________, Deferment of inquiry on Mindanao kidnappings sought, Manila Bulletin (Manila), February 22, 2009, Metro and National News.
xli

_____________, Deferment of inquiry on Mindanao kidnappings sought, Manila Bulletin (Manila), February 22, 2009, Metro and National News.
xlii

_____________, Deferment of inquiry on Mindanao kidnappings sought, Manila Bulletin (Manila), February 22, 2009, Metro and National News.
xliii

_____________, Deferment of inquiry on Mindanao kidnappings sought, Manila Bulletin (Manila), February 22, 2009, Metro and National News.
xliv

Panaligan Rey, G and See, Dexter, A., SC: '1017' provisions unconstitutional; But upholds GMA declaration of nat'l emergency, Manila Bulletin (Manila), May 4, 2006, Main News.
xlv

Calleja, Nina, Demolition in Pasay Leaves 1 Hurt, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), November 19, 2009.
xlvi

_____________, Muslim Trader Cries Hulidap vs WPD Men, Manila Times (Manila), February 15, 2005 Tuesday.
xlvii

Edd K. Usman and Ben R. Rosario, Muslim solons grill PNP, Manila Bulletin, January 27, 2005, Around The Nation.
xlviii

Nikko Dizon, Christian V. Esguerra, Christine O. Avendano and Julie S. Alipala, Bishop Rues Waste of Lives in Basilan, Philippine Daily Inquirer (Manila), August 20, 2007, Front Page.
xlix

Panesa, Edmer, F., JdV asks Malaysia for smooth deportation of Filipino illegals, Manila Bulletin,November 5, 2006, Main News.
l

_____________, DOJ gathering evidence vs wiretapping suspects, Manila Bulletin (Manila), June 29, 2005, Main News
li

Opposition: Comelec Official Must Resign, Manila Standard (Manila), April 5, 2006 Wednesday.
lii

Evangelista, Romie A. , House Panel Vows to be Fair to Abalos, Manila Standard (Manila), September 29, 2007.
liii

Granada, Susan, Case was written for the Asian Institute of Management- Team Energy Center for Bridging Societal Divides
liv