ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Thursday asked Malacañang to scrap the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and instead appoint a governor to head the region.

                Cotabato City Mayor Muslimin Sema, MNLF chairman, sounded the call, saying the process is a futile electoral exercise “since it appears that the candidates anointed or endorsed by the President are the ones winning the polls.”

                “The trend is that whoever is supported by Malacañang will become the governor. So why have an election? Why not just appoint?” Sema told reporters.

                He, however, confirmed that the MNLF is fielding Mayor Alvarez Isnaji of Indanan, Sulu, as its gubernatorial bet in the ARMM elections, since Malacañang has yet to endorse a candidate.

                The more than 1.5 million registered voters of the ARMM are trooping to the polling precincts on August 11 to vote for regional governor, the vice governor and the 24 members of the Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA).

                The ARMM is made up of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Marawi City.

                Sema said the MNLF hopes Malacañang will endorse its candidate for the gubernatorial post.

                He said front leaders are offering themselves to the government as partners in peace and development in Mindanao, especially in the ARMM, which is a product of the government-MNLF peace accord.

                The MNLF, which used to be the largest separatist group, has signed a peace accord with the government on September 2, 1996, ending the decades-old hostilities in Mindanao.

                “This is what we are putting across to our partner, the government, that we should be able to participate in the planning and delivery of basic services to our people,” Sema said.

                “We don’t want to make ourselves mere beneficiaries of assistance but as an instrument in delivering the basic services to the people,” he added.

MNLF urges Malacañang to scrap ARMM elections

ZAMBOANGA CITY—The Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Thursday asked Malacañang to scrap the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and instead appoint a governor to head the region.

DAVAO CITY—Still-unidentified gunmen shot dead on Thursday the leader of a militant farmers’ group here, raising fresh concerns on the safety of other militant leaders here.

THE Philippine Embassies in China and Singapore have issued separate warnings against the rising cases of trafficking of Filipino workers lured to these countries by illegal recruiters with promises of decent paying jobs only to end up as prostitutes and forced laborers.

AIR Force pilots will now have the opportunity to train and handle new and modern basic training aircraft with the Department of National Defense’s recent approval and issuance of notice to proceed to Alenia Aermacchi S.P.A. for the supply of 18 new SF-260F version.

FOR his alleged failure to address rampant smuggling, a legislator is seeking the ouster of Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales.

MALAYSIAN authorities arrested 24 Filipino fishermen for alleged poaching in the disputed waters off Sabah, which is being claimed by both Malaysia, and the Philippines.

MEMBERS of the fishermen’s alliance Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) on Wednesday slammed the plan of the Big Three oil companies—Chevron Philippines Inc., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Petron Corp.—to transfer the oil depot in Pandacan, Manila, in the coastal areas of Manila Bay, citing the risk of relocating it near the homes of millions of people in the coastal communities.