ARMM OICs short list coming soon

By next month, President Benigno Aquino III should have some people in mind to serve as officers in charge (OICs) of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) for two years or until the May 2013 elections.

This after Mr. Aquino signed an executive order creating the body that would screen candidates for the elective posts to be vacated this month in the ARMM. The body will make its recommendations to the President.

The positions to be filled with appointees are that of regional governor and vice governor as well as members of the regional legislative council.

Under Executive Order No. 51 which Mr. Aquino signed on July 28, the screening body would have as members the secretaries of the interior and national defense, the presidential political adviser, a civil society representative to be appointed by the President, and one representative to be nominated from among and by the five governors and one city mayor in the ARMM.

The EO mandates the screening committee to submit to the President a short list of three nominees for every position “within 30 days from convening but not later than 10 days before Sept. 30.”

The body will have to consult with the Senate President and Speaker of the House before submitting the names to the President.

Among the qualifications the committee will be looking for are “education preparation, experience, performance, accomplishments, reputation for honesty, integrity, incorruptibility, irreproachable conduct, and fidelity to sound moral and ethical standards.”

“No person shall be recommended as OIC unless he/she possesses the qualifications required by Republic Act No. 6734 (An Act Providing for an Organic Act for ARMM) and RA 9054 (An Act to Strengthen and Expand the Organic Act for ARMM),” the EO states.

The President signed into law on June 31 the congressional measure resetting the ARMM polls originally scheduled for Aug. 8 to the second Monday of May 2013 to synchronize it with the midterm nationwide election.