Namfrel wants early polls for ARMM

Poll watchdog National Movement for Free Elections (Namfrel) wants the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) done a week earlier than the May 10, 2010 elections. This was after 57 people, including women and journalists, were killed in Maguindanao last Monday in what is seen to be as the worst case of poll-related violence in the country's history. “We urge the [Commission on Elections] to consider holding an early election in the ARMM, perhaps one week early," Namfrel said in a statement on its Web site. Maguindanao is among the five provinces under ARMM. The others are Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu. Among the victims of the massacre were relatives of Buluan, Maguindanao vice mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu, who will run for provincial governor in next year's elections. The victims were on a six-vehicle convoy in Ampatuan town on its way to Shariff Aguak to file Toto's certificate of candidacy when abducted and executed by a large group of armed men allegedly upon the order of Datu Unsay town mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. The Ampatuans are known political rivals of the Mangudadatus. Namfrel said the incident was the "ugliest" form of warlordism in Mindanao. The group also urged the Comelec to move its Maguindanao office to another location such as the former provincial capitol in Simuay town in Sultan Kudarat, and to impose a total gun ban on ARMM now and not wait until January 2010. To ensure a peaceful election in Maguindanao, Namfrel said the Comelec should put the entire province under its control. Comelec commissioner Rene Sarmiento, meanwhile, said they would like to see first Malacañang's order putting Maguindanao under state of emergency before deciding on whether they would put the province under their control. “With the Comelec control and state of emergency, it might create confusion. That’s why we have to see the executive order," he said. Under the state of emergency, the executive department has the direct supervision on the area, while under Comelec control, the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines are deputized under the supervision of the poll body. - KBK, GMANews.TV