ARMM history and

organization
Published August 11, 2008 1:09pm

ARMM HISTORY ARMM's precursors

• Amid escalating hostilities between government
forces and the MNLF in the 1970s, President Marcos
issued a proclamation forming an Autonomous
Region in the Southern Philippines. However, in a
plebiscite, the people opted against it and chose to
remain in the existing Western and Central Mindanao
regions.
• In 1979, Batas Pambansa No. 20 created the
Regional Autonomous Government in Western and
Central Mindanao regions.
ARMM history
• The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM) was created a few years after the Aquino
administration initiated dialogues with the Moro
National Liberation Front to resolve the Muslim
secessionist problem.
• ARMM was created in 1989 by virtue of The Organic
Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(RA 6734). In a plebiscite, only four provinces out of
 the several areas proposed to be included in ARMM
opted to join the area of autonomy: Maguindanao,
Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.
• ARMM conducted its first elections in 1990.
• PAST ARMM ELECTIONS

• ARMM ELECTION • ELECTED REGIONAL

DATE GOVERNOR
• February 12, 1990 • Zacaria Candao

• March 25, 1993 • Liningding Pangandaman

• September 9, 1996 • Nur Misuari

• November 26, 2001 • Parouk Hussin

• August 8, 2005 • Zaldy Puti U. Ampatuan

• Sources: COMELEC, NSCB

• RA 9054 amended RA 6734 in 2001. The amended

law expanded ARMM's area of autonomy. In a
plebiscite, Basilan and Marawi City (in Lanao del Sur)
opted to join ARMM.
• RA 9054 lapsed into law, without the signature of
President Arroyo.
• In 2006, a new province was carved out of
Maguindanao: Shariff Kabunsuan. Shariff Kabunsuan
became the sixth province of ARMM, joining
Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and
Basilan.
• In July 2008, the Supreme Court promulgated a ruling
that voided the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan.
Comelec says the Supreme Court’s ruling has no
effect on the ARMM elections as the decision is not
yet final.
ARMM ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Regional
Governor
• 1 regional governor
• chief executive of the regional government
• assisted by a cabinet not exceeding 10 members
• appoints the members of the cabinet, subject to
confirmation by the Regional Legislative Assembly
• has control of all the regional executive commissions,
agencies, boards, bureaus and offices
Executive Council
• advises the Regional Governor on matters of
governance of the autonomous region
• Executive Council = regional governor + 1 regional
vice governor + 3 deputy regional governors (each
representing the Christians, the Muslims, and the
indigenous cultural communities)
• the regional governor and regional vice governor have
a three-year term; maximum of three terms; deputies'
terms are co-terminus with the term of the regional
governor who appointed them
Regional Legislative Assembly
• legislative branch of the ARMM government
• composed of regular members (3 members/district)
and sectoral representatives
• three-year term; maximum of three consecutive terms
• exercises legislative power in the autonomous region,
except on the following matters:
◦ foreign affairs
◦ national defense and security
 ◦ postal service
◦ coinage and fiscal and monetary policies
◦ administration of justice
◦ quarantine
◦ customs and tariff
◦ citizenship
◦ naturalization, immigration and deportation
◦ general auditing
◦ national elections
◦ maritime, land and air transportation,
communications
◦ patents, trademarks, trade names and copyrights
◦ foreign trade
◦ may legislate on matters covered by the
Shari’ah , the law governing Muslims
ARMM powers and basic principles
• As stated in RA 9054, ARMM "shall remain an integral
and inseparable part of the national territory of the
Republic"
• The President exercises general supervision over the
Regional Governor.
• The Regional Government has the power to create its
own sources of revenues and to levy taxes, fees, and
charges, subject to Constitutional provisions and the
provisions of RA 9054.
• The Shari ah applies only to Muslims; its applications
are limited by pertinent constitutional provisions
(prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment).
• In July 2008, the Supreme Court declared
unconstitutional a section in RA 9054 which granted
the ARMM Regional Assembly the power to create
provinces and cities. The court held that creating
provinces and cities is a power that only Congress
can exercise. (Comelec says the Supreme Court's
ruling has no effect on the ARMM elections as the
decision is not yet final.)