New ARMM leadership pushes for electoral reforms

MARAWI CITY, Lanao del Sur, Feb. 17 (PIA) – The new leadership of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is pushing for electoral reforms through the conduct of general voters’ registration.

The move is supported by civil society organizations (CSO) and the governors of the five (5) provinces comprising the autonomous region – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.

ARMM OIC-Governor Mujiv Hataman said this is the first time in the history of the ARMM wherein the regional government, the five (5) provincial governors, and the civil society shared the same position that the conduct of general voters’ registration is the first step in cleaning-up the electoral process in the ARMM.

He said he will be meeting with Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairperson Sixto Brilliantes Jr. to present the position of the regional and the five (5) provincial governments.

If the COMELEC will push through with the conduct of the continuing registration in the ARMM which is slated to start on March 5, then we will asked the Commission for a biometric elections come 2013, he further said.

During the recent Lanao del Sur People’s Consultative Assembly, Hataman bared that included in his priority reform agenda for his first 100 days in office is to promote electoral reforms.

He said the ARMM regional government shall advocate for the following reforms, to wit, launch campaign on the nullification of voters book/list, general registration using biometric/ automated registration and voting, conduct of election integrity campaigns thru quad-media, make representation with the COMELEC relative to the clean and honest election in ARMM, and promote elimination/ban of midnight clustering of precincts.

For his part, Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Adiong Jr. urged his constituents to support the electoral reforms. He said peace and order in the province can be easily attained when reforms in the electoral process are implemented.