Comelec: Move vs ARMM poll postponement won't affect election preps

The prospect of a motion for reconsideration asking the Supreme Court to reverse its decision upholding the postponement of elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao will not distract the Commission on Elections from focusing its efforts on preparing for automated elections in 2013. Comelec Chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. also said Wednesday the poll body's plan to use some P1.5 billion in "savings" from not having to prepare for separate polls in the ARMM in their preparations for the 2013 elections. "The way we see it, the 8-7 vote of the high court refers more to the authority of President Benigno Aquino III to appoint OICs for the ARMM. That is not important to us. Besides, the high court was unanimous in upholding the constitutionality of the law postponing the ARMM elections," Brillantes said in an interview on dwIZ radio. He was referring to reports quoting Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez as saying all 15 justices voted that synchronization was constitutional. With the "unanimous" decision as far as synchronizing the elections is concerned, Brillantes said ARMM elections will always be conducted every three years. "Starting May 2013, the ARMM elections will be held together with the local and national elections," he said. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of synchronizing the ARMM polls, originally scheduled Aug. 8 this year, with the 2013 midterm elections. House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman Jr. also indicated that he might ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision. Lagman had filed a 76-page petition asking the court to declare as "unconstitutional and invalid" the law postponing the ARMM polls. In the meantime, Brillantes said they will use the P1.5 billion in savings from preparations for ARMM polls for the 2013 elections. "With the ARMM elections effectively postponed to 2013, we will no longer need to spend a budget of P1.5 billion. That will amount to savings that we can use for our preparations for the 2013 elections. So at least that concern is taken care of. For now we can concentrate our efforts on preparing for 2013," he said. — LBG, GMA News