VOTING 8-4, the Supreme Court yesterday issued a temporary restraining order stopping the implementation of Republic Act 10153 which allowed the synchronization of the election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao with the 2013 national election.

Court Administrator Midas Marquez said under the ruling, the incumbent ARMM officials are to stay in their respective posts in a holdover capacity until a decision

on the merits of the case is resolved.

"In the event that the petitions will not be resolved on or before September 30, the high court said incumbent officials shall stay in holdover capacity until their successors are elected," Marquez said.

Those who dissented were Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Lucas Bersamin, Diosdado Peralta and Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Veteran election lawyer Romulo Macalintal sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order stopping the implementation of RA 10153, which was signed last June by President Benigno S. Aquino.

Macalintal had argued that the postponement of the ARMM elections and synchronization with the 2013 national and local elections, would divest the ARMM of its autonomy.

For his part, former Tawi-Tawi governor Almarim Centi Tillah and PDP Laban president Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III echoed Macalintal's views as they described the law as “unconstitutional and invalid.” They also sought the immediate issuance of a TRO.

Pimentel pointed out that any changes in the scheduled election should be decided by the region's constituents through a plebiscite.

Also last week, House Minority Leader and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman asked the high court to declare invalid RA 10153, which he said violated the constitutional autonomy of ARMM.