Sunday, July 27, 2008 Guv: Only Congress can delay Armm polls
KIDAPAWAN CITY -- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) Governor Datu Zaldy Ampatuan will not give up his bid to seek re-election this August 11 despite moves to postpone the regional polls.
Ampatuan said that only Congress can decide the fate of the elections in the Armm.
"While I support President (Gloria Macapagal) Arroyo's endorsement for the postponement of the August 11 Armm elections, I am aware, however, that it is only Congress that can postpone the elections. I will just have to wait and see," he said.
Meantime, majority of the more than 115 mayors in the Armm said they have not stopped campaigning for Ampatuan's re-election.
"Many of the mayors said they will only cease from campaigning if Congress had indeed postponed the elections," an insider from the Armm regional government said.
Mayor Wahid Sahidullah of Tongkil town in Sulu earlier clarified that while they oppose postponement of the regional polls, it does not mean they do not support the leadership of President Arroyo.
Sahidullah said supporting Ampatuan and other candidates of Lakas-CMD is also a form of support to the Mindanao peace process.
Tawi-Tawi Vice Governor Ruby Sahali-Tan said that since elections are barely two weeks from now, they have, in fact, intensified their campaign sorties for Ampatuan, saying the "show" must go on.
On Tuesday, Arroyo announced that she is endorsing the postponement of Armm elections
Five Mindanao congressmen Thursday filed a bill resetting the Armm polls to coincide with the 2010 national and local elections from August 11.
Lanao del Sur's 1st District Representative Faysah Dumarpa, principal author of House Bill (HB) 4832, said the delay will allow peace talks to proceed between the government and the MILF.
Under HB 4832, the incumbent regional officials will continue to hold office until their successors are elected in 2010. (Malu Cadelina Manar)
