By CAROLYN O. ARGUILLAS, MindaNews
DARAPANAN, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao– “Anak ni King.” “Anak ni Idol.”
Movie actor Fernando Poe, Jr. is nearly nine years dead but he is still “King” or “Idol” for members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who voted for the first time in their lives on May 13 and whose faces brightened up while saying their number one Senator was “Anak ni King” or “Anak ni Idol.”
“Anak ni King” or “Anak ni Idol” is Grace Poe, who topped the senatorial race nationwide.
“Da King” or “Idol” is a movie actor who starred in action movies as defender of the poor and the oppressed. He ran for President in the 2004 polls against then incumbent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, filed an electoral protest alleging he was cheated by Arroyo but died on December 14 that same year.
Fifty-four-year old Achmad, a member of the security personnel of the Office of the Chairman of the MILF said he voted for the first time in his life at the Simuay Junction Central Elementary School on Monday, May 13
Having spent most of his time as a revolutionary, Achmad didn’t bother about registering for the polls until last year’s general re-registration for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said they encouraged their members to register last year “in preparation for the plebiscite.” (see Q and A with Murad)