Misuari: Postpone ARMM polls

Former rebel chieftain Nur Misuari urged President Arroyo yesterday to postpone the scheduled Aug. 15 plebiscite in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Meeting the President yesterday in Malacañang, Misuari told mediamen that the powerful Organization of Islamic Conference is supporting his view that the plebiscite on the possible expansion of the ARMM must be held not earlier than 2003.

"The President, I know, understands that this is a big, big mistake. You cannot just oppose the decision of summit of 56 Muslim heads of states and reaffirmed by these 28 Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference," he said.

"So therefore, I hope her Excellency will do everything to make re-alignments with respect to this law because this will not be helpful at all to all of us in Mindanao," he added.

The President signed a law last June 22 which postponed the scheduled ARMM polls to Aug. 15.

At present, the ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Tawi-Tawi and Sulu.

"I think she (President) will decide by herself. She is very wise lady. I don’t think she can afford to commit that mistake at this point in time," Misuari said.

"We just have to re-align our position with that of the summit of heads of (OIC) states that’s as simple as that," he said.

Misuari used to head the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) which signed a peace accord with the government in 1996. His group won limited autonomy in Mindanao and he has been elected governor of the ARMM since it was created. — Marichu Villanueva