MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, May 22 (PIA) -- Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Chairperson of the Committee on Local Government in the Senate, said public hearings on the postponement of the elections in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) has helped clarify many issues.
The most contentious among the issues is still that of the appointment of officers-in-charge (OICs), the Senator said in one such public hearings held at the Provincial Capitol Gymnasium, Marawi City, last May 19.
“This is because there is a legal question as to whether or not the President has the power and whether or not the postponement and appointment is weakening or undercutting the autonomy that the Muslim Mindanao have fought for and recognized as an important part of ARMM,” he said.
He further said his committee will probably schedule another hearing with the Executive Department to ask them to explain why it is that they have made such proposal.
For his part, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, himself a Mindanaoan, said “We need to conduct a last hearing with them to find out what really is their action plan to convince us further if it is really needed to postpone the elections and appoint officials for the ARMM.”
Aside from the action plan, Marcos said it is also important to know the methodology in selecting the OICs.
Meantime, Provincial Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr., who hosted the consultation, expressed optimism that the outcome of the public hearing will lead to a fruitful resolution that will uphold the welfare of the Moro people. (PIA10)
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