Political career
Mayor of Sumisip
Jim served as mayor of Sumisip from 2001 until 2004,when he was replaced by his brother Boy. [3]
Rivalry with Wahab Akbar
In 2007,Jim ran as a candidate for Basilan's lone congressional district and competed head to head with rival Wahab Akbar,leading to violence between the two camps. Supporters of Akbar were injured in a May 2007 attack by unidentified assailants who may have been connected to Hataman. [4] Jim likewise filed a petition with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to disqualify Akbar as a candidate,claiming his opponent employed three armed groups to harass him and ally Gerry Salapuddin in the leadup to the elections. (Salapuddin was running for governor,and was running against one of the three wives of Akbar.)
"All these armed groups are now being funded and mobilized by respondent to harass,intimidate and coerce his political opponents like herein petitioner," Salliman said in his 10-page petition filed with the Comelec. He also accused Akbar "of having given material consideration,in order to influence,induce and,corrupt the voters such as when respondent gave through his designated ally P200,000 purposely to buy votes." Salliman claimed to have witnesses who executed affidavits to support his accusations against the herein respondent. Akbar brushed aside petitioner's accusations against him and branded it as mere black propaganda on his candidacy for congressman. [2]
Hataman lost the race to Akbar.
Accusations in Akbar Assassination
Captured suspect and former Tuburan town mayor Hajuron Jamiri fingered Mujiv and Jim Hataman as being the masterminds of the November 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives that killed four people including rival Wahab Akbar. Jamiri claimed in a two-page affidavit that Mujiv and Jim wanted Akbar dead because Basilan would "not be at peace" under his administration. [5] Another suspect,Cainar Aunal,similarly claimed that it was Jim Hataman who gave the order,and that they met in a coffee shop in a Quezon City mall in October to discuss the plan.
The Hataman brothers had denied the allegations,however,and Jimiri's statement was eventually retracted. Mujiv claimed that Jimiri had been tortured and that his "confession" came under duress. [6] Fellow conspirator Ikram Indama likewise later claimed that Salapudin,Bayan Judda,Caidar Aunal,Adham Kusain,Jang Hataman,Jim Hataman and Mujiv Hataman were all not involved in the Batasan blast,and that he was forced by the Akbars to admit to the bombing and to implicate the others. [7]
Continued Protest Against Akbar
Following Akbar's death,Hadjiman's protest against Akbar held up new special elections to replace the slain politician's seat. Hadjiman insisted on having his electoral protest resolved by the House of Representatives' Electoral Tribunal,leaving the seat vacant until the 2010 elections,where he ran and won.
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