DESPITE her strong support to the current administration, Maria Belen “Mabel” Acosta expressed her perplexity as to why President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. immediately terminated her as the Chairperson of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), only two years after she assumed the position.
The eighth leader of the Mindanao-based government agency revealed that Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte requested her to fully back Marcos’ candidacy during the 2022 Presidential Election, even citing love and respect as the major reason for her support on the entire slate of UniTeam.
“Hindi niya kilala ang personal circumstances ko. Sumoporta po kami sa UniTeam during the elections… Sinuportahan dahil nakiusap si then-Mayor Inday Sara Duterte. Pero ewan ko po kung alam ba niya ito,” (He does not know my personal circumstances. We supported the UniTeam during the elections… I supported it because then-Mayor Inday Sara Duterte talked to me. But I don't know if he knows it)," the beleaguered official disclosed in a special press conference at MinDA’s headquarters on Friday afternoon, May 24, 2024.
Acosta later on called the attention of Marcos, saying that there is a need for him to revisit the Republic Act (RA) 9996 which created the MinDA which was originally crafted through Executive Order 512, series of 1992, establishing Medco or the Mindanao Economic Development Council.
According to the Implementing Rules and Regulations, the term of the position shall serve a term of six years from the date of his/her appointment unless removed for cause.
“Pero ang akin lang, sana naman nirespesto niya ang RA 9996. Alam niyo po, malaki ang implication nito dahil ito po ay batas na enacted ng lower and upper house, Congress at Senate (But for me, I hope he respects RA 9996. You know, it has a big implication because it is a law enacted by the lower and upper house, Congress and Senate),” she maintained.
Section 2 of the law states that "It is hereby declared a policy of the State to accelerate the socio-economic growth of Mindanao, increasing its trade, tourism, and investments, encouraging private enterprise and advancing efforts towards peace and development. Towards this end, an effective institutional mechanism shall be established to address the need for a coordinated and integrated approach in the formulation and implementation of various Mindanao-wide inter-regional development plans, programs, and projects."
The former councilor of Davao City reiterated that the “office will continue its operation” despite the question of who is the real leader of MinDa now since the permanent termination against her cannot be justified, questioning her transparency and credibility.
Marcos appointed Leo Tereso Magno, Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao (Opamine), as the newest chair of the agency last May 13.
“It is very unfortunate that at the moment, dalawa po ang secretary namin [we have two secretaries] Baket dalawa? The post is not vacant. Nandito pa po ako [I am still here]. How can you replace me if I am still here working? Naawa po ako sa staff sa MinDA kase naiipit sila sa sitwasyong ito at nakakahiya rin sa diplomatic community at sa buong Mindanao (I feel sorry for the MinDA staff because they are stuck in this situation and it is also embarrassing for the diplomatic community and the whole of Mindanao),” she said. DEF