MARCOS AXED NOY'S ARMM POLL PLAN / ARMY WANTS PACMAN PROMOTED
[PHOTO- SENATOR FERDINAND 'BONGBONG' MARCOS, JR]
MANILA, JUNE 2, 2011 (MANILA STANDARD) by Rey Salita - SENATOR Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday axed a Palace-backed bill to postpone the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, only to revive it later in the day for plenary deliberations.
Marcos said the issue was of grave importance, and that the public should be informed and allowed to participate in the process to "determine the democratic fate of the region."
Marcos, who heads the committee on local government, had rejected the Palace bill to move the August elections to 2013, saying granting President Benigno Aquino III the authority to appoint officers-in-charge was contrary to the autonomy that the Constitution guaranteed the region.
Normally, an unfavorable committee report is automatically sent to the Senate archives, but Marcos himself moved to retrieve it and bring the discussion to the Senate floor.
Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III and Senators Teofisto Guingona III, Sergio Osmeña III, Francis Pangilinan, and Antonio Trillanes IV supported the motion, while Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago seconded it, giving Marcos the five votes he needed to bring his report back to the legislative agenda.
Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile approved the motion.
In his report, Marcos recommended that the elections in the autonomous region be held as scheduled on the second Monday of August 2011.
He said synchronized elections should be considered only after there was concrete evidence of electoral and political reforms. He expressed the Senate's recognition that there was an immediate need to carry out reforms in the region and to review the organic act that created it.
Contrary to Palace claims, Marcos said, the Commission on Elections had enough money for the elections, and that it had earmarked P2 billion for the purpose.
Marcos aside, the report was signed by 10 other senators: Juan Miguel Zubiri, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Gregorio Honasan, Manuel Lapid, Manny Villar, Romon Revilla Jr., Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Vicente Sotto III, and by Palace ally Franklin Drilon with a note to debate the issue in the plenary.
Marcos said there were irreconcilable contradictions in the Malacañang-backed bill, which he called ill-prepared and defective.
In the morning, Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo, presidential adviser on the peace process Teresita Deles, and presidential political adviser Ronaldo Llamas made a last-ditch effort to convince Marcos's committee to consider the postponement.
To everybody's surprise, Llamas said the provisions on the terms of appointed officials was unconstitutional, but later corrected himself.
Senator Francis Escudero, who is opposed to postponing the elections, said the bill was "incoherent" on why the postponement was being sought.
"If both bills seek to synchronize the ARMM poll with the national elections in 2013, then Section 2 is incoherent," Escudero said.
"The election in 2013 is done in May and all winners will assume office on June 30 of the same year. Their term will expire on June 29, 2016."
Also on Tuesday, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition seeking to stop Congress from deliberating on the bills seeking to postpone the elections. Court spokesman and administrator Jose Midas Marquez said the justices voted to dismiss the petition by lawyer Alex Macalawi because it was premature, adding the proposed laws were still to be passed by Congress. With Rey E. Requejo
Army wants Master Sgt. Pacquiao promoted by Florante S. Solmerin
[PHOTO - 2008 PHOTO WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT ARROYO CONFERRED HONORS IN SPORT TO MANNY AT CAMP AGUINALDO AFTER HE DEFEATED DE LA JOYA. -JAY DIRECTO/AFP/Getty Images]
ARMY chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz said on Tuesday they were looking into the possibility of recommending to President Benigno C. Aquino III the promotion of reservist Senior Master Sergeant Emmanuel D. Pacquiao to reservist lieutenant colonel.
Pacquiao is a lawmaker representing the lone district of Sarangani.
The eight-division world boxing champion has already attained basic education which would qualify him for the rank of a lieutenant colonel in the Reserve Force. "We'll go by the process," Ortiz said.
He said that should Pacquiao qualify for the new rank, the President of the Philippines has the sole authority to approve the promotion as commander-in-chief.
On Tuesday, the Army gave Pacquiao a testimonial and parade review which is normally given only to senior government officials, senior military commanders, and foreign dignitaries at the parade grounds of the Army's headquarters in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.
"Pacquaio is very special and exceptional, that's why we also gave him the honors," Ortiz said.
As a reservist in the Army, Senior Master Sergeant Pacquiao has never failed to inspire his fellow soldiers. His personal discipline and quest for excellence are worthy of emulation, he added.
At present, Pacquiao is the incumbent Command Sergeant Major of the 15th Ready Reserve Division. He was enlisted in the Reserve Force with the rank of sergeant on April 27, 2006.
Pacquaio was recipient of various award and recognition including the Philippine Legion of Honor with eh Degree of Officer during the 73rd anniversary of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on Dec. 21, 2008, and the Outstanding Achievement Medal on Sept. 4, 2009.
Pacquiao thanked the Army, and took a swipe at his recent foe, Sugar Shane Mosley, whom he defeated via a unanimous decision.
"Thank you very much for the recognition, your support, especially to my last fight against Sugar Shane Mosley. Many were disappointed at that fight, including myself. But he just ran and ran, and I just chased and chased. I couldn't catch up but I'm still happy that I was able to bring honor not only for me and my family but to the entire country," the boxing champion said.
"I am also a soldier. I am proud of the Army in the same way you are proud of me. As I've said many times, I hope that I am able to bring glory and honor to my countrymen," he added.
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Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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