Political Clans Secure Leadership in Cotabato Towns
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Two neighboring towns in Cotabato province will continue to be led by officials from well-known political clans after recent election victories. The familiar political clans secured their positions, maintaining influence over local governance.
In Aleosan, a municipality with a population of 42,000 predominantly Ilonggo settlers, reelected Mayor Eduardo Cabaya will serve his second term. Alongside him, three other family members won council seats: Jason Neil Cabaya (second term), Broadly John Cabaya (first term), and Arnel Cabaya (second term).
Mayor Cabaya’s political career began as Barangay Captain of Bagolibas, then as town councilor and vice mayor, before becoming mayor in 2022. His son Broadly John ranked third in the recent elections. According to local sources, the family’s track record helped them secure votes without holding large rallies. “He just let his performance speak and deliver the votes,” a source close to the mayor noted. Instead, only small gatherings in about 17 barangays were held during the campaign.
Mayor Cabaya received over 15,000 votes, far surpassing his challenger’s 2,700 votes. Under his leadership, Aleosan advanced from a third-class to a first-class municipality in 2024, following a Department of Finance declaration under Republic Act No. 11964, the Automatic Income Classification of Local Government Units Act.
Political Clans Maintain Influence in Aleosan
Aleosan was once a conflict-affected area in Central Mindanao during the 1990s to early 2000s. Today, it has earned recognition such as the 2025 Seal of Local Good Governance and has been commended for its dedication to child rights and welfare through local councils.
Leading the municipal council is Jason Neil Cabaya, a distant relative of the mayor and son of former Mayor Loreto Cabaya Jr., who now serves as regional director of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Loreto was the first in the family to hold the mayoral post. Jason explained that Arnel Cabaya, a second-term councilor and former Barangay Malapang chairman, is also a distant relative, albeit from a different family branch.
Other council members, Edak and Walter Cantomayor, are related to the Cabayas, as is reelected Councilor Peter Clarito, who belongs to the extended Cabaya-Catanus-Clarito clan, according to community leaders. Mayor Cabaya highlighted the close ties among residents due to their Ilonggo roots, with Aleosan’s name derived from the towns of Alimodian, Leon, and San Miguel—the origin of many migrant settlers.
Political Clans Continue Leadership in Pikit
In the neighboring Muslim-majority town of Pikit, the Sultan and Mangansakan families also triumphed in the recent elections. The unopposed team of Mayor Sumulong Sultan and Vice Mayor Muhyryn Sultan-Casi, who are father and daughter, swapped roles for a new three-year term. Muhyryn, married to reelected Vice Mayor Niel Jake Casi of Pigcawayan, will serve her second term as mayor, while her father returns as vice mayor.
Sumulong Sultan has led Pikit since 2006, initially succeeding Mayor Motin Malingco. He first won the mayoral seat in 2010 with Vice Mayor Don Mangansakan, a member of a respected royal family in Pikit and nearby Pagalungan. After one term, Sultan ran as vice mayor to his young daughter Muhyryn in 2013, who previously served as chairwoman of the Sangguniang Kabataan in Barangay Nabundas and the Municipal SK Federation from 2007 to 2010. They swapped roles again three years later.
Family Ties Strengthen Political Hold
Muhyryn’s younger sister, Councilor Chin Sultan, secured her second term as the top council member. Their cousin, Datu Turno Sultan Jr., claimed second place. Additional council members elected include cousins Alison Mangansakan Jr., Abemark Mangansakan, and Jeyrick Mangansakan, who are relatives of former Vice Mayor Mangansakan. A source from the Mangansakan clan clarified they are not related to the Sultans of Pikit.
With the position swap, Sumulong Sultan remains eligible to run for mayor again, as he did not complete the three consecutive term limit. He holds the record as the longest-serving mayor of Pikit, one of the oldest towns in the former Cotabato Empire.
Pikit was established as a municipality in 1952 with 65 barangays; 23 barangays later formed Aleosan in 1982. Recently, 22 barangays joined the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao after a 2024 plebiscite. The town once endured clashes between government forces and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, displacing many residents. However, following the 2014 peace agreement, Pikit has steadily developed into a thriving town.
Despite occasional violence linked to local feuds, Mayor Sultan has promoted peaceful resolutions through dialogue. Community members expect the Sultan family to continue leading the town for years. Younger clan members actively foster youth leadership through the Pakat Youth Leadership Convergence (PYLC). According to long-time residents, “His daughters are also emerging leaders due to their experience in Sangguniang Kabataan.”
For more news and updates on political clans in Cotabato, visit Filipinokami.com.