ZAMBOANGA CITY, 9 June 2005 — The Philippines' largest Muslim separatist force yesterday said it will not participate in next month’s elections in the five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). It enjoined its forces not to engage in partisan politics.
“We will not participate, we will not endorse (any candidate), and we will not influence the results of the forthcoming ARMM elections,” said Al-Haj Murad Ebrahim, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The MILF, which is fighting for independence, had also distanced itself in the past local and national elections, saying, it does not recognize the authority of the government, despite on and off peace talks with Manila since 1997. It also criticized previous elections in the country, saying, they were dirty and rigged.
Election in the autonomous region, which include the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao and Maguindanao, and the cities of Marawi and Cotabato, have been scheduled on Aug. 8.
At stake in the election are the positions of regional governor, vice governor, and several slots in the Regional Legislative Assembly.
Provincial governors, city and municipal mayors and other officials in the ARMM are elected during the national elections. The next national election will be in May 2007.
A former Muslim rebel leader-turned-politician, Muslimen Sema, earlier warned of a bloody ARMM elections because of the proliferation of illegal weapons in the provinces.
He called on Congress to suspend the polls until authorities could ensure peaceful elections.
“Unless the authorities seize all these weapons, I see the elections to be very bloody,” said Sema, now mayor of Cotabato City.
Sema, a senior leader of the former rebel group Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), said thousands of illegal weapons are believed in the hands of politicians in the autonomous region. Aside from political warlords, many illegal weapons also found their way into the hands of rebel groups, gun syndicates and lawless elements, he said.
“This scenario is very scary, there are tens of thousands of illegal weapons out there and the government must act swiftly to prevent hostilities before and during elections in the Muslim autonomous region,” he said.
MNLF Chairman Hatimil Hassan and Sulu Rep. Hussin Amin also pushed for postponement of the elections so as not to interrupt the “relative peace” in the autonomous region, aside from lack of poll funds. Congress last year reset the Nov. 26 ARMM elections to Aug. 8 this year upon the request of Muslim leaders.
