SULU GOVERNOR Sakur Tan reiterated the solid support of his province and municipal mayors and constituents to President Rodrigo Duterte’s leadership and the ruling political party, PDP-Laban ahead of next year’s polls.
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| A photo posted by Sulu Rep. Samier Tan (left) on Facebook shows his father, Governor Sakur Tan and elder brother, Vice Governor Toto Tan posing with President Rodrigo Duterte following a meeting on October 12, 2021 in Davao City. |
Tan previously assured that all 19 municipal mayors and the Tausugs are behind Duterte and whoever he chooses to be the presidential candidate.
“Solid kami ditong lahat sa Sulu para kay Presidente Duterte. Napakaraming tulong sa amin dito sa Sulu si Presidente at mahal na mahal namin ang Pangulo. At ganoon rin kay Senator Bong Go at dahil sa kanya ay may mga Malasakit Centers na kami dito sa Sulu na napapakinabangan ng lahat kung kaya’t malaki ang aming pasasalamat kay Presidente at kay Senator Bong Go,” he told the Mindanao Examiner by phone from Sulu, one of five provinces under the Muslim autonomous region.
Tan is a close political ally of Duterte and the only governor in the Muslim autonomous region that supported Duterte’s candidacy and campaign in the 2016 presidential elections where he rallied his mayors and the Tausugs to vote for Duterte.
He and his sons Vice Governor Toto Tan and Rep. Samier Tan - who are all running unopposed – recently met with Duterte in Davao City, but details of their meeting were not made public, but the lawmaker released a set of photos showing them posing with the president. “Our family and the rest of Sulu are with you all the way our dearest President,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
His elder brother also posted the same photos on his social media page and thanked Duterte. “Salamat po Tatay Digong,” the vice governor wrote.
The Tans, who are philanthropists and influential politicians not only in Sulu, but in Mindanao, have repeatedly made public announcements of their “unwavering and loyal support” to Duterte.
Nur-Raez Omar, one of the Tans’ loyal supporters, who shared the photos of President Duterte and the trio, said: “A manifestation of a great leader is being recognized by the highest position in the land - the President of the Philippines himself. The father and his sons, equally competent and compassionate. A living proof of Kusug sin Tausug iban Pag-makusug sin Amah sin Bangsa Sug. May Allah always guide, strengthen and grant long life to our leaders and nama-mawgbug sin Lupah Sug.”
Another supporter, Nahdin Jubaira, said: “The Patriarch of Sulu, Governor Abdusakur M. Tan with sons, Congressman Samier Tan of the 1st District of Sulu, and Vice Governor Toto Tan with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Davao. The siblings and the father who are seeking re-elections in their respective present positions are unchallenged in the coming elections. It augurs well for the continued progress and development of Sulu. We are in good hands, Alhamdulillah!”
Tan has cited Duterte’s sincere leadership and concerns for the poor, and the government peace and development efforts not only in his province, but the entire Muslim autonomous region.
And at one point, he even said the Tausugs wanted Duterte to run for the vice presidency despite his withdrawal from the political race. “Alam mo kaya gusto ko si President Duterte tumakbong vice president kasi as far as Sulu is concerned, napakaganda na ngayon ng Sulu. Tahimik, walang kidnapping, wala lahat, puro development ngayon. Kailangan may continuity, kung mawala yun continuity babalik na naman kami sa gulo,” Tan said.
He said the government’s anti-insurgency and peace and development campaign in Sulu has drastically reduced the number of Abu Sayyaf members due to the mass surrender of militants under the auspices of the provincial government and the Task Force to End Local Armed Conflict. (Mindanao Examiner)
