Press Release
May 18, 2011

To hear true sentiments of Muslims,
Sen. Bongbong to Conduct ARMM Poll Hearing at Marawi City

Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr. remains committed in validating the true sentiments of the Autonomous Region on Muslim Minadanao (ARMM) people on the administration's move to postpone the August 8 elections in the region.

Racing against time, the Senate Committees on Local Government and Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws will hold a public hearing at the Provicial Capitol Gymnasium of Marawi City on Thursday morning (May 19) before submitting its committee report on the Macalanang-backed proposal to postpone the ARMM polls originally scheduled this year to 2013.

"We will look into the true sentiments of the people of ARMM regarding the Palace's bill seeking to postpone elections to 2013. It is the 'autonomy' status of that region that we must give due consideration on our deliberations regarding the elections scheduled for this year," Marcos said. Among those invited to attend the hearing are officials of the ARMM led by Acting Regional Governor Ansaruddin Alonto Adiong, Governor Mamintal Adiong of Lanao del Sur, Marawi City Mayor Fahad Panarigan Salic, Mayor Datu Ibrahim Mangudadatu, chapter president of League of Municipalities of the Philippines (LMP) Maguindanao; Mayor Abraham Burahan, chapter president of LMP Sulu; and Mayor Nurbert Sahali, chapter president of LMP Tawi-Tawi.

Also invited are Representative Hussein Pangandaman, 1st District of Lanao del Sur; Rep. Pangalian Balindong, 2nd District of Lanao del Sur; Rep. Bai Sandra Sema, 1st District Maguindanao and Cotabato City, Secretary Haroun Alrashid Alonto Lucman, Jr of DILG-ARMM, Sec. Baratucal Candang of DepEd-ARMM; Datu Roonie Sinsuat, Speaker of Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA), Atty Ray Sumalipao, Regional Election Director Comelec-ARMM, Mr. Salic Ibrahim, Convenor of Reform ARMM Now Coalition, Ms. Amina Rasul of Mindanao Development Authority, Mr. Hadji Abdullah Daligdig of Islamic Movement for Electoral reform and Good Governance and other local officals from the ARMM region.

Marcos stressed that there is a need to conduct the hearings in order to provide the bases for the conclusions in the eventual committee report.

"I am confident that after that hearing, the Committees on Local Government and Constitutional Amendments, Revision of Codes and Laws will have the proper basis for a complete committee report which I will bring to the floor soon after the hearing in Marawi," he said.

The senator emphasized that it is his intention to issue the committee report as soon as possible and had hoped to have it done sometime next week.

News Latest News Feed