Press Release
December 9, 2009

TO PREVENT LEADERSHIP VACUUM IN ARMM, VICE GOVERNOR
SHOULD ASSUME POST OF GOVERNOR

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. today said the government should not allow a leadership vacuum in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao by following the order of succession in the absence of Governor Zaldy Ampatuan who was placed under military custody for his alleged involvement in the massacre of 57 civilians in Maguindanao.

Otherwise, he warned that the lack of head in the ARMM may give the military an excuse to take over in view of the existing martial law in Maguindanao.

Pimentel urged Vice Governor Ansaruddin Alonto-Adiong to immediately sit as acting governor of ARMM even without a formal designation order from Malacañang to prevent unnecessary disruption of operations of the autonomous government.

"Do not wait for a designation from higher authorities because, according to law, you automatically become the acting governor in the event the regional governor is rendered incapable of discharging his duties," the senator from Mindanao said.

Pimentel, principal author of the ARMM organic act, said the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao has no bearing whatsoever on the order of succession in the autonomous region as provided by law.

He cited a statement of Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno that with the arrest of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and other members of the Ampatuan clan who are holding local government posts in connection with the massacre, they will be automatically succeeded by the next-in-rank in accordance with the order of succession in the local government units and the ARMM.

Pimentel said he understands that certain local officials in Maguindanao are hesitant to take over the vacant posts in deference to the Ampatuans who may be offended by their takeover.

"Mr. Adiong should already assume the duties of ARMM governor because we want to maintain the lawful authority in the autonomous region. If he does not do that, then that gives the military implementors of martial law a reason to say we have to take over because there is no civilian authority. The implications therefore are terrible," he said.

"We will not allow the civilian functioning of the ARMM to unnecessarily fall into the hands of the martial law administrator," he said.

Pimentel said if Vice Governor Adiong does not want to assume the ARMM governorship, that means he is forfeiting his right in favor of the next official in the succession line - the Speaker of the Regional Legislative Assembly.

Adiong informed the Senate that he wanted an audit of the ARMM finances to be completed first before assuming the governor's post. However, Pimentel said the vice governor can already take assume the position while the audit is going.- Any further delay in the assumption of acting governor will only reinforce the impression that the autonomous region is in a state of disarray, he said.

The Mindanao lawmaker appealed to all government officials and the people in the autonomous region to support and rally behind the interim leadership of the ARMM for the sake of the common welfare.

News Latest News Feed