Abolition of ARMM sought

SULU, Philippines - Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan on Sunday renewed calls for the total abolition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, saying its creation 20 years ago merely resulted in systematic failure and an additional layer in the bureaucracy and corruption in the country today.

Tan accused ARMM officials of allegedly making civil servants’ – the policemen, teachers, health and residents - life difficult. “The results speak for themselves,” Tan said, citing the inability of the ARMM to introduce program of development, health services and jobs creation in the region, even with the assumption of ARMM acting Governor Ansaruddin Adiong as the new leader of the region.

Tan said Adiong have showed system duplication in running affairs of ARMM and failed to address basic social and economic issues, widespread corruption among the local bureaucracy.

He said: “Most of our programs and projects have to pass through the ARMM for implementation even if the funds came from the national government and is intended for our province.”

Worse, he said, the amount intended for Sulu province is being levied by some ARMM officials who are in-charge of the funds before releasing it to us.

Tan, however, admitted that abolishing the ARMM has to be done through a legal, constitutional process and in consultations with all the provinces and cities under the autonomous region.

“If it is a constitutional mandate and all the needed requirements will be met, I would gladly support the abolition of ARMM, as it has only become an added layer of bureaucracy which makes the life of our people difficult,” the Sulu chief executive said.

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan. Created in the 1990s, the ARMM brought self-rule to the Muslim minority instead of secession but allegedly failed dismally to uplift lives in the country’s most depressed region. (Nonoy Lacson)