Palace declares holiday for Muslim region polls

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang effectively gave up on its bid to postpone the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) elections on Aug. 11 as it issued a proclamation declaring the said date as a non-working holiday to allow the area’s residents to cast their votes. Proclamation 1578, signed Thursday by Executive Secretary Eduardo R. Ermita, declared Aug. 8 and 11 as non-working holidays in ARMM as well as in Cotabato and Isabela cities, areas where the counting of votes will be held. "The Commission on Elections will conduct the ARMM elections on Monday... In order to give the people of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ample time to exercise their right to vote, there is need to declare Aug. 8 and 11, 2008 as special non-working holidays," the proclamation read. "Cotabato City and Isabela City, although not part of the ARMM, will be used as counting consolidation and transmission sites for the ARMM elections." Earlier, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) called for the deferment of the ARMM polls, believing this would hasten the creation of the proposed Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE). The Muslim rebels said pursuing the elections could delay the peace process, as they would have to wait until the three-year term of elected officials lapse. President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo had certified as urgent the bill postponing the ARMM polls but the Senate was not convinced about its relevance to the peace process with MILF. Press Secretary Jesus G. Dureza said the polls’ postponement will not derail the peace negotiations. Meanwhile, Malacañang has also declared Aug. 18 as a non-working holiday, to commemorate the 25th death anniversary of former Senator Benigno "Ninoy" S. Aquino, Jr. The democracy icon, whose death eventually led to the People Power revolution that ousted President Ferdinand E. Marcos in February 1986, was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983 but the commemoration was moved to Aug. 18 in line with a law rationalizing national holidays, which moved all non-religious holidays to the nearest Monday. - BusinessWorld