Rayyan Mindalano has an insurmountable lead over his closest rival, former Bacolod-Kalawi mayor Nora Dipatuan

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Rayyan Mindalano, former Sangguniang Kabataan chairman of Madamba town, Lanao del Sur, currently tops the race for Lanao del Sur’s 7th District in the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections.

He has received 37,591 votes, according to 94.21% of total election returns as of Monday, September 14, 10:44 pm. He ran under the Serbisyong Inklusibo-Alyansang Progresibo Party.

His closest competitor, former Bacolod-Kalawi mayor Nora Dipatuan, only has 21,491 votes. She cannot catch up to Mindalano’s lead, based on the number of votes that have yet to be transmitted.

Dipatuan ran under the banner of the United Bangsamoro Justice Party, which is led by Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Dipatuan’s husband, Sultan Diarangan Dipatuan, was also a former mayor of Bacolod-Kalawi. Their family still holds power in the municipality of Bacolod-Kalawi, with the Dipatuans currently sitting as the mayor and vice mayor there. – Rappler.com