Basilan vice governor’s son wins seat in BARMM Parliament

MANILA, Philippines – Another Hataman is assured of a high-ranking seat representing Basilan province, this time as the province’s 4th District representative to the Bangsamoro Parliament. Jimael Salam Datumanong Salliman, better known as Jay Hataman Salliman, is the son of Vice Governor Jim Hataman Salliman. Salliman topped the Basilan 4th District representative race during the 2026 Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) parliamentary elections on Monday, September 14. The 29-year-old lawyer and former Basilan provincial board member obtained 41,675 or 81.51% of the votes. This is based on Basilan’s certificates of canvass from the Commission on Elections’ website. He ran under the Bangsamoro Federalist Party alongside his relative Abrar Hataman, who won his bid for representative in Basilan’s 3rd District. Salliman won by a landslide over four other candidates. Coming in second is Alzad Sattar, who chairs the Bangsamoro Peoples Party and is a former member of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority Parliament. He got 8,364 or 16.36% of the votes. Next is Bangsamoro Party candidate Monar Ibno, who placed third with 562 or 1.1% of the votes. Moro Islamic Liberation Front Joint Action Group leader Omar Gapor Muallam came in fourth place, with 424 or 0.83% of the votes. He ran under the MILF’s political party, the United Justice Bangsamoro Party. In last place is Bangsamoro Empowerment and Social Transformation Party candidate and Lantawan resident Pendatun Mohamad, with 101 or 0.2% of the votes. As the winning candidate for Basilan 4th District representative, Hataman will serve a special five-year transition term from October 30, 2026 to June 30, 2031. He will be one of the 32 district representatives making up 40% of the 80-seat Bangsamoro Parliament. Basilan was the last province to transmit its certificates of canvassing after pre-shaded ballots were found in Maluso town on Monday. This prompted the Commission on Elections to place the town under its control and delayed the start of voting there to Tuesday, September 15. The 32,000 registered voters in the municipality make up half of the 67,000 from the 4th District. – Rappler.com