OIC aspirants to present agenda

COTABATO City—Seven people aspiring to become acting governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will present their reform agenda for governance in a two-day public forum starting today at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center here.

Regional Local Government Secretary Haroun Alrashid Lucman said the forum would serve as venue for those wanting to become OIC (officer in charge) governor, vice governor and members of the Regional Legislative Assembly to present their agenda of government before their constituents.

“They will… answer questions from all stakeholders,” Lucman said in a news conference on Saturday.

The ARMM Department of the Interior and Local Government has shortened its list of OIC nominees to seven for governor, seven for vice governor, 24 for Maguindanao’s two districts, 24 for Lanao del Sur’s two districts, nine for Basilan’s lone district, 18 for Sulu’s two districts, and nine for Tawi-Tawi’s lone district.

The candidates will face the media on September 13 in Cotabato City, according to DILG-ARMM.

Of the seven vying for governor, five came from Lanao del Sur, one from Maguindanao and one from Basilan.

According to Malacañang, President Aquino will name the OICs before he leaves for a state visit to the United States scheduled on September 18. The appointees will assume office starting October 1.

Republic Act No. 10153 postponed the scheduled August 2011 election in the ARMM and will hold it simultaneously with the 2013 national and local elections. It also empowers the President to name the OICs who will serve for 21 months after the terms of the incumbent officials expire on September 30.

Three petitions have been submitted to the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the law.—Edwin O. Fernandez, Inquirer Mindanao