Resolution No. 9288

WHEREAS, Republic Act No. 9333 provides that regular elections for the Governor, Vice Governor and Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao shall be held on the second Monday of August 2005. Succeeding regular elections shall be held on the same date every three (3) years thereafter;

WHEREAS, the Congress of the Philippines promulgated Republic Act No. 10153 postponing the conduct of elections in the ARMM areas and synchronized the same in the 2013 National and Local Elections;

WHEREAS, in view of the postponement of the August 8, 2011 ARMM elections, the Commission on Elections promulgated Resolution No. 9271 dated August 12, 2011 for the resumption of the system of continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records in the five (5) provinces in the ARMM areas to start on October 1, 2011 to October 31, 2012;

WHEREAS, prior to the postponement of the August 8, 2011 ARMM elections, the Commission on Elections had conducted the registration of voters from March 21 to 31, 2010 pursuant to Resolution No. 9144 dated February 11, 2010 and the corresponding Projects of Precincts as of April 8, 2011, had been finalized after the Election Registration Board hearing, for the August 8, 2011, ARMM elections;

WHEREAS, on September 13, 2011, the Supreme Court of the Philippines issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) holding in abeyance the implementation of Section 3 of Republic Act No. 10153 on the authority of the President of the Philippines

to appoint officers-in-charge for the Offices of the Regional Governor, Regional Vice Governor and Member of the Regional Legislative Assembly;

WHEREAS, the main issue on the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 10153 is now pending determination with the Supreme Court;

WHEREAS, the outcome of the case upholding or invalidating the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 10153 will grossly affect the logistical and administrative preparations and requirements of the Commission on Elections for the ARMM elections and the resumption of the registration of voters and validation of registration records;

WHEREAS, in order to place the Commission on Elections in proper perspective in the preparations for the ARMM elections and/or registration of voters, there is a need to defer the conduct of the resumption of the continuing registration of voters and validation of registration records in the ARMM areas scheduled on October 1, 2011.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Commission on Elections, by virtue of the powers vested in it by the Constitution, the Omnibus Election Code and other related election laws, has RESOLVED, as it hereby RESOLVES to defer the implementation of Resolution No. 9271 dated August 12, 2011 entitled Rules and Regulations in the conduct of the Resumption of Continuing Registration of Voters and Validation of Registration Records in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Hence, there will be no registration of voters in the ARMM until further order of the Commission En Banc.

This Resolution shall take effect immediately after publication in two (2) daily newspapers of general circulation in the Philippines. The Education and Information Department (EID) is hereby directed to cause the publication and widest dissemination of this Resolution.

Let the Office of the Executive Director implement this Resolution

SO ORDERED.