Misuari to abide by poll results

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY -- Gov. Nur Misuari of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will abide by any result of the upcoming plebiscite on an expanded ARMM, key ARMM officials said yesterday.

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile also believed that Misuari would recognize the results of the upcoming plebiscite, unlike the three previous ones which Misuari and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) ignored.

There have been doubts on Misuari's acceptance of an unfavorable verdict in the plebiscite, especially since he has been absent from all consultations on the ARMM expansion conducted by the Senate committee on local government headed by Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr.

Executive Secretary Bong Parcasio and Speaker Kabilan Sema of the ARMM legislative council, both gave assurances that Misuari, also chairman of the MNLF, would accept the results of the plebiscite even if it would reject ARMM expansion.

The two, along with Enrile, pointed out that Misuari was a signatory to the Tripoli Agreement and to the Jakarta Agreement, both of which stipulated the use of constitutional processes in determining the territorial jurisdiction of ARMM.

"If Misuari turns his back (on the accords) and refuses to recognize the results, he should show a valid reason, otherwise he would be repudiated by the Organization of Islamic Conference, Jakarta and others involved in the accords," Enrile said.

He cited Pimentel for inviting in the name of the committee and the Senate the ambassadors of the Islamic states or their representatives to observe the conduct of the plebiscite, scheduled later this year, on expanded ARMM.

"This will obviate the possibility that some persons might later question the validity of the results of the plebiscite," Enrile explained.

Pimentel said the best person to answer the question on acceptance of the plebiscite results is Misuari himself.

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, on the other hand, sees no assurance that Misuari would abide by the plebiscite results. He, however, stressed that the government must proceed with the plebiscite.

"After the plebiscite, the government will have the moral authority to implement or enforce the results," he stressed.

Mayor Edward Hagedorn of Puerto Princesa City said that he is convinced Misuari would finally accept the results of the plebiscite.

Hagedorn, also vice chairman of the Southern Philippines Council for Peace and Development headed by Misuari, said that he once asked Misuari if the later would declare war against Puerto Princesa should the city vote against inclusion in the ARMM.

"Brother Nur said he would respect the results of the plebiscite. I believe him because he is a gentleman true to his word," Hagedorn said.

Sema also gave assurances that Misuari would be attending the Senate committee's consultation meetings in the next three weeks. At the same time, he said he has received instructions from Misuari to invite the Pimentel committee, through the government peace panel, to hold meetings in places where no sufficient consultation had taken place.

"Because of lack of time, the committee clustered its meetings so that people from places like Tawi-Tawi and Basilan were not well-represented. Governor Misuari wants the committee to conduct hearings in these places also," Parcasio said.