By Samira Gutoc
“Throughout my life I was a laborer, I was a driver, I was an operator of heavy equipment, I was a bakery owner, I was a fishpond owner, I was a fish broker, I was a banana broker, I was a cigarette smuggler, I was a coconut harvester, I was a rebel, I was a student of an agricultural school at the Gregorio Araneta University Foundation then. I was an activist against Marcos, I was a student of Islamic Theology, I was a preacher, I was the deputy commander of the MNLF,” controversial Basilan Congressman Wahab Akbar, 47, said in his first and last privilege speech on July 31 calling on military coordination with Basilan residents in the planned strike on Basilan on the killing of 10 military personnel by suspected MILF .
Add being a former Abu Sayyaf, three-term governor and now congressman in the last days of his life, sums up the colorful history of this charismatic politician, who drew ire against his political enemies for his padrino politics and yet reverence from his loyalists.
The lawmaker was killed from injuries from a bomb blast Tuesday evening, when police found a bomb to have been planted on a motorcycle parked near Akbar’s Fortuner car parked near the lobby of the House.
Anak Mindanao Representative Mujiv Hataman, a fellow Yakan (ethnic grouping), said there are multiple possibilities on the causes of the blast. “There were threats on life of Akbar,” DILG Secretary Reynato Puno said. “The indications are that that was the case both in terms of location of the bomb and the manner it was set off.”
President Gloria Arroyo consoled his first wife, Jum, the governor of Basilan. The two other wives are Cherrylyn, mayor of Isabela City and Nurin, who ran for mayor of Lamitan town.
The Citizens Anti-Dynasty Movement notes that it’s the first time that a man and his multiple wives have become elected officials at both the national and provincial level. Seven other politicians related to Congressman Akbar by bloodline, including a niece, nephew and several cousins, also won election victories in smaller towns around the island, which were affected by political violence in the last elections.
Akbar was a controversial figure having been touted to have founded ASG with Khadafi Janjalani, but later had distanced himself from the group upon entry in politics. “Mr. Speaker, when I joined politics, there were accusations that I was the founder of the bullshit Abu Sayyaf. Nung buhay pa sila, problema ko na, hanggang sa patay na sila problema ko pa rin,” he said in his privilege speech.
Beyond the ASG, Akbar talks of a poor life as a child in his hometown in Lamitan. “When I went to school at the age of Seven (7), I used to report to my classes even without slippers, and worked as a bangkero and sold popsicles to earn,: he narrated in his privilege speech.
He claims he ran for governor in 1998 without using any centavo but garnered support from the locals.
Akbar had helped the government in its anti-terrorism campaign against the Abu Sayyaf group (ASG) on Basilan island, where the militants are on the run from a massive military manhunt. He supported US presence in Basilan and launched armed campaigns against the ASG.
In the same privilege speech, he revealed the names of 4 locals responsible for the beheading of the military personnel in al Barka municipality. He also reminded the government to investigate the deaths of an imam and cautioned against military force. “Why should they inflict injury above injuries? Why should they use their budget in search for the beheaders through a huge number of soldiers instead of using it in helping me plant more rubbers so that there will be no beheading in the future? Why wouldn’t they cooperate with the local leaders in order to settle the problem by not inflicting more problems?
Dubbed the Terror of Basilan by Newsbreak, Akbar denies he had links with ASG founder Abdurajak Janjalani or his group. In his early days as a imam, he preached jihad (holy war) during his sermons when he came back to Basilan after six months in Libya in the 80s. The Newsbreak notes.Akbar, who used to wear a thoub, a longsleeved one-piece dress that covers the whole body, a white pilgrim’s cap, and a goatee, made his mark as a charismatic preacher in Basilan. However, he distinguished himself from Janjalani, who also preached jihad when he came home from Libya.
Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza said Akbar was helpful in the peace process. Former Lanao del Sur Vice Governor Nurmalah Lucman said his death was a “big loss to the Muslims.” Former Sulu Provincial Administrator Engineer Don Loong notes Akbar’s wisdom in promoting rubber to uplift the economy.
And in his words, Akbar departs from his beginnings as a rebel and calls for peace. “Mr. Speaker, let’s give Peace all chances that it needs if only to ensure the welfare of our children, and the children yet to come in my province. Lastly whatever wisdom I have delivered it’s from the blessings of the Almighty. On the other hand, whatever unfavorable thoughts that I may have said, it’s only personal to me.”
With a population of more than 300,000, Basilan is subject of US funding support as part of the war on terror. An ASG researcher , Joe Torres notes that while Muslims constitute 71 percent of the Basilan population Christians own 75 percent of the land. The Chinese control 75 percent of business.
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Madaming salamat sa mga komento nyo. magaganda sana pero bakit po ba di natin alamin muna ang basilan before wahab akbar na naging Gov.? ang basilan po simula ng umupo si wahab akbar madaming proyekto na nagawa ikumpara natin sa nakaraan na nalected as Gov. nag papalit palitan na sila ng position pagnatatapos ang termino nila at na eelect as Gov. then Congress nanaman. Ganun nalang palagi ang nangyayari pero kung tanungin mo ang taong basilan na san ang kaunlaran or mga projects? nasa bulsa nila lahat at kanya kanya sila nag papagawa ng building nila sa basilan para sa sarili nilang kapakanan so di nila na isip ang taong bumoto sa kanila. Ang leader po na tinatawag ay ikaw isang utusan ng tao, leader lang ang tawag syo kaya ka ibinoto ng taong probinsya mo para maka tulong at maglingkod sa pangangailangan ng taong basilan pero ano ang nagagawa ng mga late elected? pag nanalo na wala na.. di mo na sila makikita at mahahagilap. makikita mo nalang ulit sila sa susunod na election.
Ngayon po ikumpara nyo kai wahab akbar at ipalagay natin kai Gerry Salapuddin. Sa loob ng 9 years hanggang mamatay si akbar ni isang building na bussines nya wala siyang napatayo kundi ang taong basilan ang nasa isip nya ngayon po kai Gerry salapudin naman tyo kung madadalaw nyo ang basilan makikita nyo dun ang napatayo ni Gerry Salapudin na building para sa sariling kapakanan nyang bussines pero ang tumulong sa tao wala po. mahigit labing sampung taon namuno si Gerry Salapudin at walang nagawa sa basilan kundi ang walang katapusan na Promise is Always Promise during Election. Nung si Gerry ang namuno natatandaan ko yung kalsadang papuntang ibang baryo noon siguro makailang ulit nang kinunan ng Picture ang paggawa ng kalsada pa putol putol hanggang natapos lang ang termino bilang isang pag ka Gov at pag ka congr, at para walang makitang ebedensya sinunog pa nila ang kapitelyo at doon mismo sila nag Opisina malapit sa fishfond hanggat natapos ang termino nanaman. ngayon po nung si wahab akbar na ang pumalit sa ka nya. with in 8 Month natapos ang Capitol at simula nun sunod sunond na ang proyekto ng basilan.
So about dun naman sa pag Election na nasabi po sa comment na mangdaraya. yun po ay di gawain ni akbar kundi gawain ng naunang pulitician na pilit agawin sa kanya at ibagsak sya, at alam niya kung sila ang mamuno ay nasa bulsa lang nila lahat at habang tumatagal naisip ng taong basilan ay tama ang gawain ni akbar at nakita nila kung ano ang nagawa ni akbar. during election alam ng kabilang partido na kai akbar sila boboto ngayon po ang ginagawa nila ay nangdaraya at gumagawa ng karahasan tapos ibabaling nila kay akbar kaya nag karoon ng patayan dahil sa dayaan para lang mawala si akbar. pero natupad nila ang gawain nila dahil ang late Congrssman Gerry Salapudin never na talo sa halalan at gustohin pa ni akbar iba or familya niya ang mamuno kesa sa kanila. Masasabi ko lang po kung may nagawa man si akbar na naulat or nasabi na nag papatay sya sa isang tao yun po ay gawa ng mga kabilang partido para masira lang si wahab akbar. ang halalan po di lang si akbar or nino man ang di gumagawa ng dayaan mas madami pa pong iba. ngayon kung meron man nagawa si wahab akbar sa dayaan ng halalan yun ay ayaw niya ibigay sa dating namuno na walang nagawa sa basilan at sa ikakaudlad ng taong basilan. kung meron man napatayan yun po ay sa kabilang panig gagawa sila ng gusto nila para maibintang kai akbar kaya nag papatayan dahil sa dayaan. eh sila po mismo ang gumagawa ng dayaan.
maraming salamat po. at sana bumisita kayo sa basilan pag tanung tanong nyo kung sino si Gerry Salapudin at kung ano ba ang nagawa nya sa taong basilan. at ikumpara nyo kai akbar.