ARMM polls to push through in August this year - COMELEC

The Commission on Elections said the ARMM polls "will push through" in August, as it has been preparing to hold the first computerized election with the release last January by the Department of Budget and Management the needed funds for the computerization project.
Shariff Kabunsuan poll chairman Kasan Usi said the computerized ARMM elections would serve as a "pilot project" for the coming 2010 presidential and local polls.

"We are unanimous in our support for the reelection bid of the incumbents," said Mayor Roderick Furigay of Lamitan, a newly created city in Basilan province that was made possible through regional and congressional legislation.

Lamitan City Vice Mayor Arleigh Eisma said Mayor Furigay welcomed "with open arms" a recently passed resolution of the city legislative council that adopted similar endorsements by 45 barangay (village) chairmen manifesting their "all-out support" for ARMM Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Vice Gov. Ansaruddin Adiong.

He said endorsing the Ampatuan-Adiong tandem and other administration incumbents in the RLA was Lamitan's show of gratitude for transforming their municipality into a city, apart from the various socio-economic and infrastructure project support that these officials provided them.
As early as 2007, governors and town mayors of Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi already signified their support to the present regional leadership through the passage of their own respective resolutions, the elated 40-year old regional governor told the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net).
Ampatuan, who is the regional Lakas-CMD chairman, said despite the overwhelming endorsements from local government units, his candidacy would still depend on a presidential decision.

There are reports on the possibility that Arroyo might do a Fidel Ramos, referring to the time when Ramos, as president, anointed Nur Misuari of the Moro national Liberation Front, instead of reelectionist ARMM Gov. Liningding Pangandaman, in what was seen as a political concession agreed upon shortly before the signing of the final GRP-MNLF peace accord in 1996.

"The President has the final say, but I hope she will consider the endorsements of my people," Ampatuan said, referring to a political scenario where Malacañang would anoint a Moro Islamic Liberation Front gubernatorial contender instead of his bid for a second term.