How Basilan voted in the 2025 elections
The governor's brother defeated the gov's son in an extremely tight race
Hello, mga kababayan!
The battle to become Basilan’s top official in the 2025 elections, featuring two relatives of the outgoing governor, was as close as it could get.
Two-term Representative Mujiv Hataman, running under the Basilan Unity Party (BUP), narrowly won against his nephew, lawyer and 2nd District Board Member Jimael Salam “Jay Hataman” Salliman of the Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) by just 1.4 percentage points, or 3,275 votes.
Osama Mutamad from the Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma (PDR) was also in the race, but got less than 1,000 votes.
Hataman will take the provincial reins from his brother, Governor Hadjiman “Jim” Hataman Salliman who successfully slid down to Vice Governor. The outgoing governor is Jay’s father.
Despite winning in only 5 of Basilan’s 13 localities, Rep. Hataman’s 16,000-vote margin in de facto capital Isabela City plus a landslide showing in Al-Barka and Tuburan helped counter Salliman’s leads elsewhere.
The governor’s son (along with his whole slate) got the biggest lead in Hadji Muhtamad and Lantawan, with over 75% of the vote in each town. Except in Maluso where he was 66%-34% against his uncle, Salliman had a vote advantage of only 400-1,200 votes in the rest of the towns he won.
Vice Governor
Outgoing Governor Hataman (PFP) had a clearer path for vice governor, getting 2/3 of the vote against Rep. Hataman’s running-mate, former Bangsamoro Parliament member Alzad Sattar (BUP).
Like his son, the vice governor-elect also got the strongest support in Hadji Muhtamad, Lantawan, and Maluso, as well as in the de jure capital Lamitan City and the island town of Tabuan-Lasa. In Isabela City, he got 62% of the vote.
Sattar captured only 2 towns: Al-Barka and Tuburan.
House race
The contest for Basilan’s lone House seat was also competitive, with term-limited Vice Governor Yusop Alano (PFP) beating Maluso Mayor Hanie Bud (LP) by some 30,000 votes.
The split was clearer in the House race, with Alano taking the province’s northern side (including the two cities) and Bud winning in most of the southern towns.
Mayor Bud, however, lost by 30 percentage points in his own town Maluso, as well as in Tabuan-Lasa. He got Tuburan in his column on the northeast side, though.
Other local contests
Here’s a graphic showing all local results in Basilan, including the winning board members in each of the 2 districts. The province was among many that received additional seats in the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or provincial board due to the adjustment in their income classification. Basilan’s two new seats were added to the 2nd district.
The ruling party PFP’s slate netted 5 of the 10 elective seats, while the BUP got only 3 seats. A Lakas-CMD candidate and an independent bet took the remaining 2 seats.
In the graphic, the top 15 senatorial candidates and top 5 party list groups in the province are also shown. The “Duter10” slate plus the two senatorial candidates endorsed by Vice President Sara Duterte took all the top 12 spots in Basilan.
The group that topped the party list race there is Kapuso PM, led by outgoing Sulu Rep. Munir Arbison Jr.
In addition, listed in the graphic are the winners of the contests for mayor and vice mayor in each town, including reelected Isabela City Mayor Sitti Djalia Hataman (BUP), Rep. Hataman’s wife, who defeated Vice Mayor Jhul Kifli Salliman (PFP), another son of the outgoing governor.
Other Hataman clan members earning local positions include Amin Hataman (BUP) reelected as 1st District Board Member, Juhan Hataman (Independent) as 2nd District Board Member, Kaiser Hataman (PFP) as mayor of Maluso, and Jul-Adnan Hataman (PFP) and Gulam Boy Salliman-Hataman (BUP) reelected as mayor and vice mayor of Sumisip.
Overall, 9 mayors and 4 vice mayors were reelected. Ten mayors and 7 vice mayors are from PFP.
#ODIBa!
Side note: As usual, please feel free to check my work! I’m a DM, comment, or email away!