MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will sign the bill postponing the Aug. 8 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on June 30.
Speaking after signing four bills into law at Malacañang, Aquino said the signing is scheduled for June 30 “because we are still waiting for some of the principal sponsors to be present also, they were part of the long debates that took place for this.”
“I think they also have the right to be part of the signing of this historic bill that will try to change the condition of ARMM,” he said.
Aquino said Secretary Teresita Deles, presidential adviser on the peace process, will be included in the selection of officers-in-charge in ARMM.
“I think I would be seeking (her) advise as a necessary component towards attaining lasting peace, which again, we are showing the people of ARMM how things can be different,” he said.
The minority in the House of Representatives has accused Aquino of stalling the signing of the ARMM bill to prevent opponents from blocking it before the Supreme Court.
Aquino signed yesterday Republic Act 10150, an Act Extending the Implementation of the Lifeline Rate for Power Consumers; Joint Resolution No. 1 Extending the Period of Existence of the Joint Congressional Power Commission; RA 1015, the Act Allowing the Employment of Night Workers; and RA 10152, the Act Providing for Mandatory Basic Immunization Services for Infants and Children.
At Malacañang’s prodding, Congress passed the bill deferring the ARMM elections and synchronizing it with the May 2013 midterm elections before it adjourned on June 8.
Some lawmakers had opposed the bill because it would give Aquino “blanket authority” to appoint officers-in-charge in the ARMM between now and 2013.
Opponents have vowed to question the constitutionality of the postponement of elections before the SC.
House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said Aquino is “temporizing” signing the bill into law to prevent the SC from resolving voiding of the deferment of the ARMM elections and his appointment of OICs.
“The obvious motive for this dilatory scheme is to deny the Supreme Court enough time to rule on expected petitions challenging the validity of the eventual statute deferring the ARMM polls and authorizing the President to appoint OICs,” he said.
“As long as the enrolled bill remains unsigned by the President, any petition before the Supreme Court will be premature in the absence of a covering statute.”
Lagman said any petition to block the ARMM bill in the SC could be rendered moot as the preparations for the scheduled elections appear to have been halted by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
On the other hand, Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes said yesterday Aquino was not stalling, contrary to the pronouncement of Lagman.
“I think the President is simply doing so many things,” he said. “Why should we blame the President? Let’s just wait. That cannot be delayed.”
Brillantes said Lagman’s accusation that Aquino was not signing the bill into law because he wanted to shield it from criticisms before the SC was unacceptable.
“It has been pending in the Supreme Court so how can that be a dilatory (tactic)?” he said.
“If there is a basis, the Supreme Court could have issued a decision.”
In a text message. election lawyer Romulo Macalintal said yesterday any delay in the signing of the ARMM bill will “be beneficial to those opposing” it.
“The SC may compel the Commission on Elections to continue its preparation pending resolution of any petition assailing the constitutionality of the law,” he said.
Macalintal, who opposed the postponement of the ARMM elections, said the SC may also issue a temporary restraining order against those who may be appointed to act as incumbent ARMM officials.
The appointment of officers-in-charge is violative of the constitutional mandate that ARMM officials should be elected, not appointive, Macalintal said.
Angara: Use funds from ARMM to hire more teachers in kinder
Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara urged the government yesterday to use the P1.2 billion to be saved in postponing the ARMM elections originally set on Aug. 8 to hire more kindergarten teachers.
“There’s a P1.2-billion savings from the postponement of the elections,” he said.
“It’s time to distribute the dividend. I say, let’s give it to education by employing more teachers in kindergarten.”
Angara said the amount would be enough to pay for 9,700 kindergarten teachers for six months, up to December this year.
“This is one conversion that must be pursued,” he said.
“If we’re looking for a redeeming value in the postponement of the ARMM elections, then rechanneling its budget to education is our best bet.”
Angara said about 2.4 million five-year-olds would troop to public schools this month to start kindergarten education.
The number would need the hiring of 30,000 teachers, assuming that one teacher would handle a morning and an afternoon class of 40 pupils each, he added.
The teacher shortage of more than 56,000 this year did not include those needed for the kindergarten education program, Angara said.
By Aurea Calica, The Philippine Star
With Paolo Romero, Jess Diaz, Sheila Crisostomo
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