THE law postponing the elections in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao is unconstitutional and invalid, according to House Minority Leader Edcel Lagman.

Lagman  filed a petition before the Supreme Court seeking nullification of Republic Act. 10153 which synchronizes the ARMM polls with the national elections in May 2013 after President Benigno Aquino signed the assailed law at 10 a.m. yesterday.

Congress approved the ARMM bill on June 7.

The ARMM elections were originally scheduled on August 8.

The law authorizes the President to appoint officers-in-charge for the posts of governor, vice governor and members of the Regional Assembly pending the ARMM elections.

The petition seeks to enjoin Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. from enforcing the controverted measure, and to have the Commission on Elections resume preparations for the holding of the ARMM elections as scheduled this August.

Lagman asserted that all of the constitutional and statutory safeguards for autonomy in ARMM were violated and derogated by R.A. 10153.

Malacañang on the other hand is optimistic it can defend the constitutionality of the ARMM law.

“As we have said in the past, we are confident that we can defend the law when it is called for by the Supreme Court,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said after Aquino signed the law.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Senators Franklin Drilon and Teofisto Guingona III were present at the signing ceremony.

In a press briefing after the signing, Aquino said he wanted the officer-in-charge of the ARMM to have the same vision as his and would not have a plan to run in the regional government.

“Yung hindi magpapatuloy ng sistemang nakaugalian sa ARMM, talagang naka-focus mag-de-deliver ng basic services na due them (ARMM residents),” he said.

With Efren Montano