Friday, March 14, 2008 PPCRV, Muslim groups ink pact to ensure peaceful Armm polls
AN ELECTION watchdog and 14 Muslim groups in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (Armm) recently signed a memorandum of agreement that would ensure clean and peaceful election in the region in August.
The pact, which provides for the merging and sharing of resources to "establish a single network of volunteer monitors and watchers that would lead in monitoring, watching and canvassing of votes for the scheduled elections," was signed by the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV), Muslim and Armm-based civil society organizations, and three media outfits.
According to Henrietta de Villa, PPCRV national chairperson, the signing of the agreement is a continuation of interfaith collaboration towards electoral reforms.
"This is a good example of how we, as a nation, can move past our differences and focus on what we have in common: the interest of our country," she said in a statement.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is set to implement an automated system of voting in Armm as mandated by Republic Act (RA) 9389.
For her part, lawyer Laisa Alamia of the Bangsomoro Lawyers Network urged the election watchdog to be vigilant against any attempts to manipulate the automated elections, which is set on August 11, 2008.
Armm was known as a center of controversies during the 2007 senatorial elections.
Signing the covenant were Al-Mujadilah Development Foundation, Basilan Women's Initiative Foundation, the Citizens Coalition for Armm Electoral Reforms, Concerned Alliance of Professors and Students, Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society, Electoral Reform Advocates and Maranao People Development Center.
Other signatories were Mindanao Cross, Mindanao News and Information Cooperative Center, Muslim Women Advocates-Sulu Council, Nagdilaab Foundation, Notre Dame Broadcasting Corp., Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, Sulu State College Master in Public Administration Alumni Association, Tulung Lupah Sug and the United Youth for Peace and Development. (FP/MSN/Sunnex)
