May 6, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, War forces closer look at autonomy, by Jowel F. Canuday, PDI Mindanao Bureau,

May 6, 2000, Philippine Daily Inquirer, War forces closer look at autonomy, by Jowel F. Canuday, PDI Mindanao Bureau, 

DAVAO CITY--The ongoing war between government soldiers and Moro guerrillas in Mindanao has jolted the Senate into pondering over autonomy proposals that were earlier ignored because they came from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. 

Senate President Franklin Drilon said the Senate would have to reconsider earlier proposals made by the MILF on autonomy amid the fighting in Mindanao. Drilon said the chamber would have more time this time to discuss the matter as the elections for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will surely be postponed to 2001. 

"What good (will the postponement make)? At least it gives us more opportunity to reflection on how best to resolve this problem. And we do not know what will develop in the next few months which will be crucial in our decisions in so far as this (amendment to the organic act) issue is concerned," Drilon told reporters here.  

He said it is possible that senators will also consider issues being raised by the MILF in the discussion of proposed amendments to the law that created the ARMM. Among other things, the MILF is demanding that the Shariah law apply in the ARMM. 

Drilon said the postponement of the ARMM elections will be one of the major issues which senators will discuss during a caucus on Monday in preparation for the resumption of Congress' sessions on May 8 to June 8. Congress will have to approve Drilon's proposal since the Sept. 8 schedule for the ARMM elections is mandated by law. 

Drilon suggested that the ARMM elections should instead coincide with the May 2001 local and congressional elections. But prior to the elections, a plebiscite on a proposal amending the Organic Act creating the ARMM should be held, Drilon said. 

One of the major component of the proposal is the expansion of the coverage of the ARMM from the present four provinces to 10 cities and 16 provinces in Mindanao and Palawan. 

The proposal was in line with the peace agreement entered into by the peace panels of the government and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) chaired by incumbent ARMM Gov. Nur Misuari. 

Drilon said holding the elections this September amid the ongoing war between the military and the MILF in ARMM areas, Central Mindanao, parts of Southern Mindanao and the Abu Sayyaf and other armed groups in Basilan, Sulu and in the Zamboanga Peninsula will only sharpen the division of the people in these areas. 

"You see elections, while it provide stability, also has a phase, has a period where people are divided during the campaign. Given the instability of the situation in Southern Mindanao (Philippines), I do not think that it is to the public interest that we divide the people at this point in time," Drilon said. 

Drilon said developments on the government and the Moro rebel conflict will play a crucial role in the outcome of the amended ARMM Organic Act. Drilon also said the Senate has not yet received the report by the Senate committee on local government which has conducted since January a series of public hearings on the proposed amendment to the organic act. 

Drilon also said that the Senate barely has 10 weeks in the legislative calendar before September, leaving not enough time for the chamber to debate on the measure. He said given the limited time left for the Senate to debate on the bill, he "seriously doubts" whether the plebiscite could be held to determine the new area autonomy. 

In February, Pimentel also called for the postponement of the ARMM elections to May 2000 and the plebiscite to February next year. Pimentel also argued that there may not be enough time for the senators to discuss and debate on the issue thoroughly. But both Drilon and Pimentel could not say yet if Misuari and other elected officials of the ARMM will be allowed to stay on in holdover capacities as this will have to be approved by the Senate.