SC defers ruling on ARMM OICs

MANILA, Philippines - The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday deferred ruling on the appeal on its decision last month upholding the legality of the postponement of elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and affirming President Aquino’s power to appoint officers-in-charge in the region.

SC spokesman Midas Marquez said the justices opted to wait for the submission of motions for reconsideration (MRs) by other petitioners before requiring the Palace to submit a consolidated reply. The other petitioners are Datu Michael Kida of the Maguindanao Federation of Autonomous Irrigators Association and Basari Mapupuno.

“The appeals were not immediately denied with finality. The justices wanted to seek MRs first from all petitioners before deciding on the appeals,” he told reporters in a news briefing.

The main petitioners – House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, veteran poll lawyer Romulo Macalintal, former Tawi-Tawi Gov. Almarim Centi Tillah, Professor Datu Casan Conding and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Laban – have already filed their respective appeals.

The petitioners reiterated that the appointment of officers-in-charge would violate right of the ARMM electorate to choose their leaders.

Lagman reiterated that Republic Act 10153, which allows the synchronization of elections in the ARMM with the 2013 midterm elections, should be nullified because it amended the ARMM Organic Acts without conducting necessary plebiscite.

He said the law had “suppressed the electoral will and diluted autonomy.”

The petitioners also reiterated their plea for the SC to allow elected ARMM officials to serve in holdover capacity pending the election of their successors.