Governor Stands on the ARMM Election

By: Abs Damahan

Provincial Capitol-ARMM Basilan Province-Governor Jum J. Akbar released statement on the issues stands whether for the postponement or to push-through the ARMM election through his official spokesman Board Member Yusop Alano of the First District.
The agreement of the governor with the proposal for postponement is based on several points and not persuaded by the opinion of the Malacanang:
1) The synchronization of National and Local Elections shall cause to avoid undue intervention, influence and manipulation by National Administrations in the conduct of ARMM elections;
2) The Commission on Elections would have more than enough time to reform the electoral process within the ARMM, to fully and finally eradicate election fraud, cheating, intimidation as observed in numerous past ARMM Elections;
3) The “Election” is the soul of our democracy. It is therefore incumbent upon us to ensure that this central doctrine of Filipino democracy is protected and further improved, to better serve the purposes set forth in our laws and our Constitution and to best reflect the aspirations of our people.
What we want is a Honest Orderly Peaceful Election (HOPE) reflective of the voice of the people.
Obviously there is a need to “repair” the flaws in our elections. For so long as the honesty of elections are put into question, officials will continue to suffer from questions of legitimacy as well. We – as a people – shall not be able to enjoy the real and genuine fruits of democracy if our elections are fraught with cheating, fraud, intimidation and the plague of money-politics.
4) Hindi natin malalasap ang tunay na kahulugan ng demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng “Eleksyon” kapag ang mga eleksyon natin ay nababahiran ng pandaraya, panloloko at pananakot.

The Governor said, genuine democracy anchor on the parameter of political landscape. The real mandate is a direct vote from the electorate that the true essence of democracy and how democracy is accepted by the people and how it works for the constituent of ARMM government.
ARMM created for minority to serve the aspiration of the minority rights and to justify this, it is binding and written in our legal framework of the Organic Act RA-9054 and in our freedom constitution of 1987. Who tell us this is not Autonomy at works for over 25 years in existence. Manila government should not misconstrue label as “Failed State and Failed experiment”. “Genuine Autonomy under democratic process should be in our hands”. We don’t want failed promises from the central government; we wanted a true promise from the Palace.