DIPOLOG CITY, Oct. 19 (PIA) -- City councilor James P. Verduquez has welcomed the Supreme Court (SC) ruling to uphold the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153, which postponed the Aug. 8, 2011 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM).
Verduguez described the SC ruling as a very positive development, saying the government has now a good chance in instituting genuine reforms in the ARMM, “which has been saddled by decades of corruption.”
The lawyer-councilor also hoped that the reforms to be introduced to the ARMM would result in the development of the region.
In a related development, Malacañang also expressed elation over the SC decision. In a statement read by Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda yesterday disclosed that President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III thanked the SC “for upholding our effort to break the cycle of impunity, corruption and poverty in the ARMM.”
The Aquino administration supported the bill that seeks to synchronize the ARMM elections with the national elections to end the vicious cycle of abnormal elections being influenced by powerful political families.
With the SC ruling, the ARMM will now be run by officers-in-charge (OICs) to be appointed by the President. Appointed members of the regional legislative assembly of the ARMM shall be tasked to study and review RA 9054 and submit recommendations to Congress within six months from assumption into office. (FPG/PIA-Zambo. Norte)