No early favorites yet in ARMM OIC derby

There are “no early favorites” among the candidates for a caretaker governor who will temporarily run the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) before the 2013 midterm polls, Interior Secretary Jesse M. Robredo disclosed Thursday.

“There are no early favorites but there are prominent names,” Robredo told reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City. He pointed out, “Prominent is subjective.”

“I don’t want to make any judgments. Just look at the names,” said Robredo, who heads the screening committee tasked by the President to process the applications and make recommendations.

More than 50 applicants

Among the more than 50 applicants vying for OIC (officer in charge) governor are Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu, former Anak Mindanao party-list representative Mujiv Hataman, former Moro Islamic Liberation Front spokesperson Eid Kabalu, acting ARMM Gov. Ansaruddin Adiong and former ARMM Gov. Zacarias Candao.

Robredo said the selection committee would produce a short list of six candidates from these applicants, based on pre-determined criteria, by next week.

The short list will also include six names in the race for vice governor and nine names of candidates for an assembly seat for each regional district.

“We will prove to the residents of ARMM that by allowing these OICs to take office, they can have a good benchmark on what good governance is,” Robredo said.

Fifty-one candidates are vying for the post of ARMM governor, 17 for vice governor and 272 for membership in the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).

Changes in the ARMM

Robredo said that of the 273 applicants for RLA membership, 40 were from Basilan; 31 from Tawi-Tawi; 34 from the 1st district of Sulu; 35 from the 2nd district of Sulu; 51 from the 1st district of Lanao del Sur; 31 from the 2nd district of Lanao del Sur; and 51 from the 1st district of Maguindanao.

“We have received a considerable number of applicants for the different OIC positions and this only goes to show that many of our Filipino-Muslim brothers would like to lead and help the government in instituting significant socioeconomic changes in the ARMM,” he said.

Robredo said that the short list would be submitted to the Senate president and to the speaker of the House, who in turn would submit their respective recommendations for the approval of President Aquino.

He said also said that national and local fora would be held from Sept. 13 to Sept. 15 to present the candidates’ legislative agenda for the ARMM.