MARAWI CITY – The influential Ulama League of the Philippines (ULP) and the formidable local Ompia Party, which reigned in this city and Lanao del Sur for 13 years, have endorsed incumbent Gov. Mamintal Alonto-Adiong Jr. of the administration’s Lakas-Kampi-CMD in the 2010 elections.

Ompia Party president Abdullah Abubakar led some 3,000 members at an assembly here on Monday in casting support to Adiong, who is provincial chair of the ruling party now chaired by presidential aspirant Gilberto Teodoro.

ULP president Judge Aboali Cali joined by Hadijah Mutilan, widow of the late Dr. Mahid Mutilan, founding leader of both ULP and Ompia party, attended the convergence to support the endorsement for Adiong.

ULP and Ompia officials said they opted to rally Adiong after seeing in him the “peaceful and honest leadership style” practiced by his father, the late former congressman and governor Mamintal Adiong Sr., and his grandfather, the late former Senator Ahmad Alonto Sr.

The late Dr. Mutilan, was previously elected as city mayor here for one term, as governor of Lanao del Sur for three terms, and as ARMM vice governor, using the Ompia party as its frontline political organization.