MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Saturday tossed to Congress the request of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to postpone the August 11 elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said only Congress could come up with a bill or resolution to postpone the polls because the said date for the polls was set through a law.
"Only Congress can do that. Sa ngayon (As of now) I don't know if it is late in the day to take action on it. We will have an attempt to make consultations as I have started," he said on government-run dzRB radio.
Under Republic Act 9333, the regular election for regional governor and regional vice governor and members of the Regional Legislative Assembly shall be held on the second Monday of August 2005, and "succeeding regular elections shall be held on the same date every three years thereafter."
Ermita said that he had "informed" Speaker Prospero Nograles Jr about the matter.
"Whether it's politically viable or possible to postpone ... siya namamahala sa Congress (It's up to him to decide if it's politically viable or possible to postpone the election)," Ermita said. - GMANews.TV