MANILA, Philippines -- It?s President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and not Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno who should have taken administrative control over the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao [ARMM] following the Nov. 23 massacre in Maguindanao, Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr., said on Sunday.

Pimentel said the President was avoiding a direct confrontation with her political allies, the Ampatuans, who have been suspected of masterminding the mass murder of at least 64 people.

Interviewed over dzBB radio, Pimentel questioned the move taken last week by President Arroyo to delegate the task to Puno, saying this was not in keeping with the Local Government Code.

The senator, who authored the Local Government Code, questioned the authority of Puno to suspend other officials said to be involved in the slaughter of 64 persons, several of them journalists last week.

``According to our law, the DILG secretary has no right to oversee the work in local government units. This is not in accordance with the law,?? Pimentel said in Filipino.

Mrs. Arroyo last week gave Puno full powers of supervision of ARMM, including the authority to suspend or replace local government as well as police and military officials implicated in the crime.

He said apparently Ms Arroyo delegated the task to Puno because she did not want to ``directly confront?? the Ampatuans known to be ardent political supporters of the President.

Authorities are set to file next week multiple murder charges against Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., a member of the influential Ampatuan clan who had been identified by witnesses to have been involved in the killing of three members of the Mangudadatu clan.

The wife and two sisters of Buluan Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu, a political enemy of the Ampatuans, were killed along with his sisters, supporters and over 20 journalists and motorists, by armed men believed to be under the employ of the Ampatuans.

``The President probably did not want to collide with them because things might be revealed, like they could say, `Ms President, you would not have been President if we didn?t rig the votes in Maguindanao,?? Pimentel said in Filipino.

The Ampatuans were able to deliver the votes for President Arroyo during the 2004 presidential and senatorial elections, where massive cheating was said to have happened following the 2005 ?Hello Garci? scandal.

Aside from trying to ``wash her hands?? off the case, the President probably tasked Puno also as a publicity stunt to show she was doing something about it.

Pimentel stressed Ms Arroyo should be the one taking over ARMM because under the Local Government Code, the Department of Interior and Local Government no longer had power over local government units.

Only the President could suspend the governor and mayor, he said.

The governor has the power to suspend a mayor. The provincial board has the power to suspend the governor.

He insisted that Ms Arroyo should take over ARMM and undertake more actions even if she were close to the Ampatuans ``because she has to show genuine leadership'' here.