A direct scion of one of the Philippines' national heroes, the warrior-king Sultan Kudarat of the Moro-Spanish Wars fame, Datu Ismael "Dustin" V. Mastura, has climbed the leadership ladder of Maguindanao Province, winning as vice governor by 30,000 votes.

Under the Lakas-KAMPI-Christian Muslim Democrats coalition of the Arroyo administration, vice governor-elect Mastura and governor-elect Datu Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu were proclaimed on Friday winners of the provincial race last May 10.

Born on Aug. 11, 1970, the vice governor-elect is a son of former Maguindanao congressman Datu Michael Mastura, a direct descendant of Sultan Kudarat, and Mrs. Lourdes Veloso Mastura.

His siblings are lawyer Ishak "Cocoy" Mastura, head of the Regional Bureau of Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Mariam, also a lawyer and government prosecutor assigned in Davao City.

The elder Mastura is now a senior legal adviser and member of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel.

Dustin Mastura's grandfather Antonio Veloso on his mother's side served also as vice governor of the undivided Leyte province.

He took his Political Science studies at the De La Salle University and the International Islamic University in Malaysia.

He honed his administrative skills as a long-time head of the Sultan Kudarat Islamic Academy (SKIA) in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

In the just-concluded Maguindanao political exercise, Mangudadatu and Dustin Mastura defeated respectively senior political leaders Mayor Datu Ombra Sinsuat of Datu Odin Sinsuat, Datu Mibpantao Midtimbang of Guindulungan for governor and former governor Datu Andal Ampatuan, Sr. for vice governor convincingly.

Their tandem's rousing triumph over their much senior rivals signaled what some political observers could be the "changing of the guard" in the province and ushers in a new era of working for peace and economic uplift in strife-torn Maguindanao.

Some of these observer said peace advocates among Central Mindanao's political leaders and civil society organizations can partner with other stakeholders as the new Maguindanao leadership duo are expected to strongly support the peace processes between the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"The new leadership tandem of Maguindanao is the peace process team," said one observer.

While Mangudadatu and Dustin Mastura are under the Lakas-KAMPI-CMD banner, the Maguindanao voters went for Liberal Party's Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III for President.