NEWSFLASH

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SULU WANTS PLEBISCITE TO GET OUT OF ARMM

Cotabato City, Nov. 12, 1997 - The Governor of Sulu and 13 of the province's 14 town mayors have signed a manifesto asking Congress to call a plebiscite before the May elections to ask the residents if they favor being government by the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

In the manifesto, the officials said Republic Act 6734 creating the ARMM "did not serve the best interests and common aspirations of the people of Sulu, but caused frequent delay in the release of salaries and benefits of government workers, misuse of government funds which is conducive to commission of graft and corruption in the government service."

Only Siasi Mayor Hadji Abdel Anni did not sign the manifesto.

Governor Nur Misuari of the ARMM could not be reached for comment.