Ex-Rep. Mujiv Hataman to take oath as ARMM OIC

By AMITA LEGASPI and ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News

Published December 19, 2011 11:01am

(Updated 12:04 p.m.) Despite the absence of an official announcement from Malacañang, former Anak-Mindanao Rep. Mujiv Hataman will be taking his oath Monday afternoon as the appointed officer-in-charge of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

President Benigno Aquino III will preside over Hataman’s oath taking at 1:45 p.m., as shown in the President’s revised schedule for Monday sent to reporters.

Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was reported to have confirmed Hataman’s appointment but when deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte was asked about it Sunday, she said she will have to check it first with Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr.

As early as June, reports have it that Hataman has been chosen to lead the ARMM but Malacañang denied it, saying the selection process then has not begun yet.

At the time, Congress had yet to submit to President Aquino the enrolled copy of the bill postponing the ARMM elections and allowing the latter to pick the OIC for ARMM.

Aquino signed Republic Act No. 10153, or the law synchronizing the ARMM elections with the May 2013 mid-term polls in June.

Lagman: Not too fast

But House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman said Malacañang’s plan to formally appoint Hataman as ARMM officer-in-charge is still “premature,” since the Supreme Court has yet to issue a final ruling on the matter.

“Judicial courtesy demands that the executive, like any other litigant, must await the finality of a Supreme Court decision and must not preempt the High Court’s final action,” Lagman said in a statement issued Monday.

Lagman was one of the parties who filed motions for reconsideration on the SC decision allowing the President to appoint temporary officials in the ARMM. He argued that Congress’ move to give Aquino the power to select ARMM officers-in-charge “derogates” the autonomy of the region.

The Supreme Court on September 13 stopped the implementation of the law and prevented Aquino from appointing 26 temporary ARMM officials, including the region's governor, vice governor, and 24 representatives of the Regional Legislative Assembly.

A month later, the High Tribunal declared as constitutional the ARMM poll postponement.

There are a total of 551 applicants and nominees for ARMM posts: 74 were vying for governor; 37 for vice governor; and 440 for membership in the RLA.

Of the 440 applicants for RLA posts, 46 are from Basilan; Maguindanao (1st district) – 52; Maguindanao (2nd district) – 42; Sulu (1st district) – 39; Sulu (2nd district) – 38; Tawi-Tawi – 44; Lanao del Sur (1st district – 64); and Lanao del Sure (2nd district) – 39.

Several public fora, including one marred by bombing incidents, were held in the region to allow the candidates to present their legislative agenda for ARMM and obtain the commitment of the candidates and other stakeholders for reforms in the region.

With Robredo in the screening committee are Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, presidential adviser on political affairs Ronald Llamas, a representative from civil society, and an ARMM representative. — RSJ, GMA News

Tags: armm, armmpolls, mujivhataman