Friday, April 27, 2007 (Philippines)

The signing of a memorandum of agreement between the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPRCV) and Assembly of the Darul Ifta of the Philippines at Lantaka Hotel in Zamboanga City. (Sunnex/Ulysses E. Israel) THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has assured the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that election will push through in the island province of Sulu in May 2007, a Comelec official said. Comelec Commissioner Rene Sarmiento, who recently visited Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, said the military in Sulu has assured him that 10 days before the May 14 polls, all military offensive operations against terror groups--Abu Sayyaf and Jemaah Islamiyah--will cease to give displaced villagers time to go back to their homes and vote in their respective poll precincts. Pinoy Votes: Sun.Star Election 2007 Coverage [full story]