Aquino will not field aunt in ARMM polls

BOCAUE, Bulacan — Margarita "Tingting" Cojuangco may be the aunt of President Benigno Aquino III, but she will not be the administration's bet if ever the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) push through this August. Cojuangco, a former Tarlac governor, has already filed her certificate of candidacy for ARMM vice gubernatorial post. But Aquino, in an interview with reporters on Monday, said it would be "illogical" for his administration to field a candidate when it is working for the postponement of the elections. "Paano kami magwo-work on the postponement and to have candidate at the same time? Parang medyo illogical yata yun," he said. Aquino had certified urgent the bill seeking the postponement of the ARMM elections this August and synchronizing it with the midterm elections in 2013. The House of Representatives had already approved the bill on third and final reading. Aquino expressed hope that the Congress — the Senate in particular, where the bill is expected to face rough sailing — will favor the postponement of the elections. "Dapat sabay-sabay yung kampanya para ang iintidihin ng mga kandidato ay yung sariling kampanya hindi yung paghahanap ng command votes na nagdidistort sa buong sistema," he said. Interior and Local Government secretary Jesse Robredo had earlier said that the administration is not preparing to field candidates in the ARMM polls. — Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News