MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives joint committees on suffrage and Muslim affairs approved Tuesday a bill postponing the August 2011 ARMM elections to 2013 and empowering the President to name officers in charge.
This, amid an apparent walkout by Muslim lawmakers after they were outvoted by their non-Muslim counterparts.
The final vote was at 23-4 for the suffrage committee, 11-0 for Muslim affairs and capped off weeks of committee deliberations and long hours of debates.
The presence of the ex-officio members of the Committee, namely the House leaders and their deputized congressmen, gave away the intent of the leadership to approve the proposal today.
Muslim lawmakers led by Chairman Tupay Loong left the hearing before the vote was taken. The Muslim bloc was against the postponement.
The bill now goes to plenary as HB 4146.