Mujiv Hataman

Mujiv Sabbihi Hataman is a Filipino politician serving as Representative of the Lone District of Basilan in the House of Representatives of the Philippines since June 30, 2019. He served as the last Regional Governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Hataman earlier represented the Anak Mindanao party-list in Congress from 2001 to 2010. A former protégé of slain leader Wahab Akbar, but broke with him around 2007 and was even implicated in his death, although charges were eventually dropped. His two brothers are also influential politicians; older brother Hadjiman "Jim" Hataman was the former representative from the lone district of Basilan, and younger brother "Boy" Hataman was previously mayor of Sumisip.

Mujiv served as a member of the Kahapan Foundation—Moro Human Rights Center (Kahapan-MHRC). He sponsored the Anti-Discrimination Bill in the Congress in affirmation of International Convention against All form of Racial Discrimination.

During his assumption as OIC-Regional Governor, Hataman announce that he will not run as Regional Governor to focus on his reform programs. But months before the filing of candidacy for 2013 election he was convinced by many cause oriented groups in Mindanao to pursue for a new mandate.

On December 22, 2011, due to the "Reform Programs" of President Benigno Aquino III Congressman Hataman was appointed as Officer-In-Charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The move was criticized by many as Hataman was not a member of the Regional Legislative Assembly. Under Republic Act No. 10153, the President has given authority to appoint Officers In Charge while the Regional Election, originally scheduled August 8, 2011 was postponed until the general election on May 12, 2013.

The Hatamans and their allies constitute one of the powerful familial political blocs of Basilan, and frequently come in conflict with the Akbar family in competing for elected office. Frequently this conflict turns violent; in December 2008, two of Mujiv's cousins were shot dead in an attack, and Mujiv was one of several politicians fingered in Akbar's assassination in November 2007.

Captured suspect and former Tuburan town mayor Hajuron Jamiri accused both Mujiv and his brother Jim as being the masterminds of the November 2007 bombing at the House of Representatives that killed four people including 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.

In a 2004 Philippine Daily Inquirer report, Mujiv was cited as one of the "poorest" congressmen serving in the House of Representatives, with a net worth of only P420,000. The same report noted that out of 225 members of the House, only six were not millionaires, with the richest worth upward of P500 million. By 2006 Mujiv's net worth had increased to P690,000, but was still in the bottom tenth.

According to a BusinessWorld article, Hataman in 2004 started a company with his brother that distributes fresh fish from Mindanao to businesses in Manila. He said the business is not his, but that of his brother and a brother-in-law, and he only shares his managerial and marketing expertise. "I only help in the marketing. It's really my brother who runs the business," he said. The business started with only P20,000 in capital and now earns P30,000-P40,000 a month. His distribution network includes wet markets in Manila and Quezon City.

Hataman started as an ally of Akbar; he served as Akbar's chief of staff while he was Governor, and in 2001 was supported as the main party-list Anak-Mindanao candidate to the House of Representatives. Under the party-list system, an underrepresented group or party can obtain one House seat for every two percent that it gets of the party-list votes, with a maximum of three. AMIN achieved the minimum threshold despite election irregularities that nullified some of its votes, but the Supreme Court then issued a temporary restraining order that prevented the party-list representatives from being sworn in. Mujiv served as spokesperson for AMIN in the intervening period. After a two-year delay, the Supreme Court in July 2003 lifted the order and he was finally installed as a representative from Basilan at age 30.

Hataman was born on September 11, 1972 in Buli-Buli, Sumisip, Basilan. He came from an influential family. His grandfather is the Panglima or leader of Yakan in Sumisip while his father was the barangay captain of Sumisip when it was still a barangay. He completed his primary studies at Buli-Buli Elementary School in Sumisip in March 1986 and secondary studies at Basilan National High School in 1990. He graduated with a degree in Computer Engineering at AMA Computer College (now AMA Computer University), where he was the leader of the Muslim Youth and Students Alliance.