DAVAO CITY – Their leaders may be detained outside Maguindanao but they remain a clan to reckon with in Maguindanao, if we are to base it on the number of candidates running for election or reelection on May 10. The Ampatuans, Sinsuats, Sangkis, Mangudadatus, Pendatuns, Masturas, Midtimbangs, etc.. are fielding candidates for the May 10 polls but the Ampatuans have the highest number at 68, 50 of them carrying the same surname while the remaining 18 use Ampatuan as their middle name.
Of the 50, at least 23 are members of the immediate family of the patriarch, Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr.
The Mangudadatus have 15, 10 of them bearing the surname with the remaining five use Mangudadatu as middle name.
On November 23 last year, the Mangudadatus sent a convoy of relatives, women lawyers and 32 journalists to the provincial office of the Commission on Elections in Shariff Aguak town, Maguindanao, to file the certificate of candidacy for governor of Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Gaguil Mangudadatu.
The convoy was stopped by armed men believed led by Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr. who would have been the Ampatuans’ candidate for governor and along with six others who happened to pass the highway at the wrong time, were herded into Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman in Ampatuan town, where they were massacred – at least 58 of them — 35 of them buried in three mass gravesites.
Andal Jr. was taken into custody on November 26.
On December 5, hours after martial law was declared over portions of Maguindanao, Andal Sr., then OIC Governor of Maguindanao, was taken into custody at 1:30 in the morning while his son Datu Zaldy, governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was taken in at around 7 a.m. and brought to General Santos City. Two other sons, Datu Anwar, mayor of Shariff Aguak and Datu Sajid, former OIC Governor of Maguindanao were also taken in along with son-in-law Datu Akmad “Tato” Ampatuan, Sr., were also arrested and brought to the 6th Infantry Division in Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat but a few days later were transferred to General Santos.
So who’s running among the Ampatuans?
Candidates directly related to Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr.
- Datu Andal Salibo Ampatuan, Sr., for vice governor
- Shaydee Ampatuan-Abutazil (daughter), for vice governor
- Sajid Islam Uy Ampatuan (son), for Provincial Board
- Bongbong Midtimbang-Ampatuan (wife of Datu Zaldy), for mayor of Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, unopposed
- Bai Noraila K. Midtimbang Ampatuan (daughter of Zaldy and Bongbong), for councilor, unopposed
- Saudi Biruar Ampatuan, Jr., (son of the late mayor Saudi) for mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan
- Saudi Biruar Ampatuan III, (Saudi Jr’s brother) for vice mayor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan
- Soraida Macarimbang Biruar-Ampatuan (wife of the late Mayor Saudi Ampatuan), for vice mayor of Parang
- Jehan-jehan Lepail Ampatuan (wife of Saudi Jr.), for councilor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan
- Reshal Santiago-Ampatuan (wife of Andal Jr.), for mayor of Datu Unsay
- Yacob “Datu Jack” Lumenda Ampatuan (husband of Aloha, a daughter of Andal, Sr.) for mayor of Rajah Buayan
- Zahara Upam Ampatuan (wife of Anwar), for mayor of Shariff Aguak
- Zandria Sinsuat Ampatuan, (wife of Sajid) for mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha
- Mohammad Bahnarin Ampatuan Ampatuan (son of Rebecca and Datu Akmad Sr.), for mayor of Mamasapano
- Tahirodin Benzar Ampatuan Ampatuan (son of Rebecca and Datu Akmad Sr), for mayor of Mamasapano
- Akmad Masukat Ampatuan (father of Bahnarin and Benzar), for vice mayor of Mamasapano
- Lady Sha-Honey Ampatuan Ampatuan (daughter of Rebecca and Akmad Sr.), for vice mayor of Mamasapano
- Anwar Uy Ampatuan, Sr. (son of Andal Sr.; wife of Zahara), for vice mayor of Shariff Aguak
- Anhara Upam Ampatuan (child of Anwar and Zahara) for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Anwar Upam Ampatuan, Jr., (child of Anwar and Zahara) for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Rowella Upam Ampatuan (child of Anwar and Zahara) for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Manny Upam Ampatuan (child of Anwar and Zahara), for councilor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan
- Galema Ampatuan-Olimpayan (daughter of Andal Sr. with another wife) for councilor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha
Other candidates with Ampatuan as family name:
- Datu Sarip Kasan Ampatuan, for Provincial Board
- Puti Mamasapano Ampatuan, for Provincial Board
- Akmad Baganian Ampatuan, for mayor of Datu Salibo
- Marob Batabol Ampatuan, for mayor of Datu Salibo
- Kuzbari Lumenda Ampatuan, for mayor of Rajah Buayan
- Datu Rennier Sinsuat Ampatuan for mayor of Talitay
- Kanor Datumanong Ampatuan, for vice mayor of Datu Salibo
- Baiungang Dilangalen Ampatuan, for vice mayor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Farida Lidasan Ampatuan, for vice mayor of Matanog
- Normina Baganian Ampatuan, for councilor of Ampatuan
- Bai Sittie Sugadol Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Datu Khalid Sandag Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, unopposed
- Norodin Lakman Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Hoffer Ampatuan, unopposed
- Mama Datumanong Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Salibo
- Moharif Batabol Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Salibo
- Yasser Baganian Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Salibo
- Abdullah Kaliangget Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Unsay
- Pandag Salibo Ampatuan, for councilor of Datu Unsay
- Anwarudin Masukat Ampatuan, for councilor of Mamasapano
- Mahir Masukat Ampatuan, for councilor of Mamasapano
- Mohamad Nor Abdilla Ampatuan, for councilor of Mamasapano
- Usman Unto Ampatuan, for councilor of Mamasapano
- Farisha Imam Ampatuan, for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Norodin Datumanong Ampatuan, for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Syrah Fatima Biruar Ampatuan, for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Michelle Sakal Ampatuan, for councilor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha
- Zainal Buto Ampatuan, for councilor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha
Candidates with Ampatuan as middle name:
- Bai Sandra Ampatuan Sema (wife of incumbent Cotabato City mayor Muslimin Sema) for 1st district rep against Didagen Piang Dilangalen
- Simeon Ampatuan Datumanong, for 2nd district rep, unopposed.
- Samsodhen Ampatuan Sangki, for vice mayor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Monir Ampatuan Asim, Sr., for vice mayor of Datu Unsay
- Ameerah Ampatuan Mamalapat, for vice mayor of Shariff Saydona Mustapha
- Tulondatu Ampatuan Sumagka, for vice mayor of Talitay
- Johaipa Ampatuan Basilan, for councilor of Ampatuan
- Datumama Ampatuan Dilangalen, for councilor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Rohaida Ampatuan Ebrahim, for councilor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Bai Giom Ampatuan Kindo, for councilor of Datu Abdullah Sangki
- Prince Razul Ampatuan Sangki, for councilor of Datu Adullah Sangki
- Nasser Ampatuan Datumanong, for councilor of Datu Saudi Ampatuan
- Mohammad Don Ysriel Ampatuan Asim, for councilor of Datu Unsay
- Datumama Ampatuan Bandila, for councilor of Rajah Buayan
- Saada Ampatuan Sambolawan, for councilor of Rajah Buayan
- Norodin Ampatuan Datumanong, for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Amil Hamza Ramshais Ampatuan Macapendeg, for councilor of Shariff Aguak
- Melvin Ampatuan Sumagka, for councilor of Talitay
Cotabato City is not part of Maguindanao but there are three Ampatuans running for elective posts there: Linda Untal Ampatuan, running for vice mayor; Johariz Usman Ampatuan, running for councilor; and Omarkhalid Ampatuan Ampatuan, running for councilor.