House OKs bill postponing ARMM polls

The House of Representatives passed on Tuesday night a bill postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), originally scheduled this August, to May 2013. By a 191-47 vote, the chamber approved on third and final reading House Bill 4146 seeking to synchronize the ARMM polls with the May 2013 midterm national elections at past 9:50 p.m. Certified urgent by President Benigno Aquino III, the bill was approved on second and third reading on the same night. A voice vote allowed the passage of the bill on second reading at 9:25 p.m. Tuesday. The House members then proceeded to a nominal vote, where majority of the lawmakers present voted to pass the measure. Aside from synchronizing the ARMM polls to the May 2013 mid-term elections, HB 4146 also seeks to give President Aquino the power to appoint officers-in-charge in the ARMM government until new officials are elected in 2013. Before the approval of the bill, Minority Floor Leader Edcel Lagman proposed to drop the provision allowing the President to assign officers-in-charge in the region and instead let incumbent officials stay in a hold-over capacity. His proposal, however, was junked by a majority of the lawmakers present. Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño, meanwhile, called the bill a violation of the ARMM citizens’ right to choose their leaders. “Tinanggal na nga natin ang karapatan nilang pumili ng lider, pinalitan pa natin ng mga lider na hindi naman nila hinalal," he said during the plenary debates on the bill. (Not only we ignore their right to vote, we also replace their officials with officials they do not elect.) After the measure’s approval at the chamber, the Senate can either pass its own version of the bill or adopt it. After this, the bicameral conference committee will be convened to reconcile the respective versions of the House and Senate. Once the bicameral committee approves the bill, it will be returned to the House and Senate for ratification. It will then be submitted to Malacañang for the signature of the President. - KBK, GMA News