Sagayan Festival’s beauty contest

BULUAN, Maguindanao –Thousands of villagers flocked to the municipal gym here Tuesday night for the talent show of 12 aspirants to the 2015 Palama nu Maguindanao, the beauty contest highlighting the ongoing Sagayan Festival. Elizabeth M. Tayuan, chair of the beauty pageant committee, said the turnout of some 10,000 spectators is indicative of the success in the campaign of the provincial government for the simultaneous conduct of peace-building as well as efforts on ferrying out the truth for justice in the victims of the January 25 incident. In their messages during the six-day finale of the 4th Sagayan Festival, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu and Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat batted for continuity in the government peace overtures with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) through cordial convergences while authorities are investigating the clash that left 44 elite police troops, 18 MILF members and five civilians slain, and 6,000 displaced. (Ali G. Macabalang)