COMELEC: NON-MUSLIM MAY BE APPOINTED ARMM GOVERNOR
MANILA, JUNE 13, 2011 (STAR) By Mayen Jaymalin - Even a non-Muslim may be appointed as officer-in-charge (OICS) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.
Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes (photo) clarified religion or membership in the Islamic faith is not a requirement in the selection of OIC in the ARMM.
The law does not state any religious requirement, even in the election of a regional governor for the autonomous Muslim region, Brillantes pointed out.
"The law does not require that the one who should be appointed should be a Muslim, although it's supposed to be an autonomous region for Muslim Mindanao," he said.
Republic Act 6734 provides that "no person may be elected Governor of the Autonomous Region unless he is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter of the Autonomous Region, able to read and write, at least 35 years of age on the day of the election, and a resident of the Autonomous Region for at least five years immediately preceding the election."
Comelec Commissioner Elias Yusoph, a Muslim, agreed with the observations of Brillantes that a non-Muslim can be appointed as ARMM OIC.
Yusoph, however, expressed the belief that Malacañang is inclined to appoint a Muslim as OIC governor who will assume the office until the 2013 elections.
"You know the ARMM is created for the Muslims. Since it is ARMM, I think the President will prefer a Muslim as regional governor," Yusoph said.
Last week, the Senate and the House of Representatives approved the measure seeking to postpone the ARMM elections on Aug. 8, paving the way for Malacañang to appoint OICs in the region to serve until the national midterm elections on 2013.
The military, for its part, will redeploy its troops back to its normal internal security assignment from its supposed poll duties in the ARMM elections.
Lt. Gen. Raymundo Ferrer, chief of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom), said the postponement of the ARMM poll in August would also allow the troops to focus on neutralizing private armed groups in Mindanao.
Ferrer said the postponement also eased the political tensions between political factions preparing for the ARMM polls. – With Roel Pareño
FROM THE TRIBUNE
MILF not to involve in ARMM affairs By Mario J. Mallari 06/13/2011
The secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is distancing itself from the appointment of officers-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM) following the postponement of the elections there this year.
In a statement over the MILF official website, MILF chairman for secretariat Muhammad Ameen stressed the secessionist group is not endorsing anyone for appointment in ARMM as he reiterated the group's non-involvement into the ARMM affairs.
"We have nothing to do with the ARMM. It is entirely an affair of the government and we completely shun any participation in it," Ameen said.
Ameen issued the statement amid reports that some unscrupulous people and groups are dropping the name of the MILF for appointment in ARMM. The MILF official described the ARMM as a failed experiment to answer for the quest of the Bangsamoro people to govern itself.
"No matter how the Aquino administration tries to reform the ARMM, it cannot be done because it is a fake autonomy," Ameen said.
The Senate last Monday night approved on third and final reading the bill postponing the ARMM elections, originally scheduled on Aug. 8, 2011.
In a 13-7 vote, the Senate approved Senate Bill 2756 seeking to synchronize the ARMM polls with the May 2013 midterm national elections.
The Aquino administration cited the need to reform the ARMM first before holding an election.
Aquino is expected to appoint an OIC-governor of ARMM when the terms of the incumbents expire this year.
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