Senate OKs ARMM voter re-listing

By: Ron Gagalac

ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines (15 May 2012) - The Senate approved on 3rd and final reading on Tuesday Senate Joint Resolution No. 17, nullifying the book of voters in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and directing the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to conduct a new general registration of voters in the region.

COMELEC heeds calls for ARMM re-registration

The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Friday gave assurance that it would conduct general registrations in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Earlier, the COMELEC denied requests from the Executive and Legislative Departments to conduct a new voters' registration in the region citing time constraints in the bidding of additional voter registration machines (VRMs) that will be needed for the process and the lack of funds.

ARMM Voters Registration to Resume March 5

The system of continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will commence on March 5, 2012 and will end on October 31, 2012, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) announced Thursday.

The COMELEC en banc, in Resolution No. 9338 promulgated January 25, 2012, ordered the resumption of voters’ registration in the ARMM in order to “give the Commission sufficient time for the conduct of pre-election activities and other preparations in connection with the May 13, 2013 elections.”

To recall, the COMELEC, September last year, deferred the voters list up in the Region which was originally slated to start on October 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012, “due to the pendency of the case questioning the legality of Republic Act 10153 on the synchronization of the ARMM elections with the May 13, 2013 National and Local Elections and in anticipation of the conduct of the ARMM elections at a later date.”

The Supreme Court has ruled on the legality of the synchronization of the ARMM elections with that of the May 13, 2013 elections, thus upholding the constitutionality of Republic Act 10153 and an Officer-in-Charge has already been designated in the Region.