“I am the man who accompanied Sharon Cuneta to Maguindanao del Norte.”
Former Senator and senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan was joined by his wife, Megastar Sharon Cuneta, in Sultan Kudarat on Friday to receive the formal endorsement of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party (UBJP), the official political party of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Pangilinan received the endorsement from MILF Chairman Ahod “Alhaj Murad” M. Ebrahim, MILF Vice Chairman Mohagher M. Iqbal, Shiek Ali B. Solaiman (Second Vice Chairman), Shiek Muslim M. Guiamaden (Wali of Bangsamoro), and Abdulrauf A. Macacua (BARMM Interim Chief Minister) during the MILF’s Central Committee meeting at Camp Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat.
“We are thankful that we are here today. The Bangsamoro is a work in progress. We need to continue and sustain the initiatives of peace and the gains that we have achieved thus far. But the journey is far from over,” Pangilinan said.
The former Senator said he provided advice to former President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III during deliberations on the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
“In my last three years in the Senate, we were also supportive of the Bangsamoro Organic Act. We voted in favor of it. We were part of the bicameral conference committee to make sure that the key provisions that would give meaning to autonomy and what the Bangsamoro struggle is all about,” he added.
Cuneta, in her first-ever visit to Sultan Kudarat, shared the spotlight with Pangilinan as she serenaded the MILF Central Committee with her hit song “Kahit Konting Pagtingin.”
In his welcome remarks, Iqbal admitted that he’s a long-time fan of Cuneta, with “Kahit Konting Pagtingin” as one of his favorite movies.
“I can presume that everyone knows you. Ako nga, isa sa napakaraming tao na kung tutuusin, hindi na tayo bata, pero isa ako sa fans niyo,” Iqbal said.
“Kung nagbigay lang kami ng go-signal, times 100 ang mga taong pupunta dito. Kaya lang we did not give the go-signal. Maybe some other time,” he added, stressing that Pangilinan is one lucky man for having Cuneta as his campaign manager.