COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Officials of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are not opposed to any postponement of the regional elections next year pending the crafting of a final peace pact between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The MILF has been seeking a new governing mechanism for Mindanao’s Muslim communities that it intends to manage on its own.
There are apprehensions that holding elections in the ARMM next year will again delay for three more years the implementation of any peace deal between the government and the MILF that may, in effect, reformat the present governing structure of the autonomous region.
“Once elected, all regional officials of the ARMM, from the governor down to the members of the Regional Assembly, would have to serve a three-year term and so we’ll have to wait again for their terms to expire before there can be any transition in the regional leadership,” said lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, incumbent ARMM executive secretary.
Sinarimbo said acting Gov. Ansarudin Adiong will not oppose any possible bilateral understanding between the MILF and the government to postpone next year’s regional elections.
“We want the peace process to move forward so we will support all efforts toward that end,” Sinarimbo said.