MANILA, Philippines -- Malacañang is backing the Commission on Elections' resolution to hold voting in the violence-wracked Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ahead of the May 2010 national elections.

``For the sake of the overall conduct of a peaceful election, Malacañang will go along with it, if that is the sense especially of the Comelec,'' Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a Malacañang briefing.

The election body has passed a resolution urging Congress to fast-track the passage of a legislation allowing voting in ARMM head of the elections.

Officials earlier said that a new law would enable the Comelec to set a date ahead of the scheduled presidential and local elections in the ARMM, which comprises Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Marawi City.

There are three pending bills in Congress seeking to ease election management problems in the autonomous region.

In particular, House Bill No. 3437, contains steps to protect every vote and to minimize if not totally diminish electoral violence.

Lawyers Macabangkit Lanto and Benjamin Lanto had petitioned the Comelec to set the elections in ARMM on April 12, instead of May 10.

Ermita said President Macapagal-Arroyo would even certify as urgent the bills setting early elections in ARMM if that would be the recommendation of lawmakers.

``If it's so recommended to President as an urgent measure, then we will prepare the necessary document for the President to sign, so both Houses of Congress will receive it on time, but not until then,'' he said.

Ermita said he believed that the Comelec was ready to hold the elections in ARMM even if these were held a month ahead of May 2010.

``We are made to understand by the Comelec that yes, the system is in place. We just have to await developments. But as it is now, our information is everything is a go for an automated election. But my line has always been `many things can happen between now and then','' he said.

Meanwhile, Ermita said Ms Arroyo has not constituted the independent commission created to oversee the dismantling of political clan-dominated private armies because its membership remains incomplete.

``We are submitting to the President names of those who will compose it. It's very hard for us to just organize it, then it will turn out that the people we have in mind are not available for their own reasons,'' he said.

According to him, four of the potential eight members have confirmed their availability to be part of the commission.

Maguindanao as well as Basilan, Sulu, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Samar, Masbate, Nueva Ecija and Abra are in the initial list of election ``hot spots'' because of the presence private armies, according to PNP Director General Jesus Verzosa.