MANILA, Philippines – Mindanao leader and former Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chairman Jesus Dureza has joined the clamor for the holding as scheduled in August the election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) as he opposed "tinkering" with the autonomy set up.

A former journalist himself, Dureza, in a syndicated column he passed on to the Manila Bulletin, lamented what he said is Malacañang's intentions to reset the coming regional election and have it at the same time with the national political exercise in 2013.

He was referring to President Benigno S. Aquino III's announcement calling for the postponement coupled with a support for legislative action to re-schedule the balloting in the ARMM's provinces of Basilan, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi and the city of Marawi.

Aquino wants the ARMM governance reform first before holding the poll. He also intends to appoint officers-in-charge for the region, not hold-over for incumbent officials.

But Dureza and many others who want the election to go on as stipulated in Republic No. 9333 are not impressed.

Dureza said the Palace should first consult the stakeholders in ARMM.

"I am afraid that Malacañang is again ill-advised about the move to postpone elections in (ARMM). Its recent announcement of its intentions clearly shows they have not consulted the ARMM," he said, adding the Palace's "judgment call" is a "mockery" of the Muslim autonomy.

Dureza said that he had the occasion to speak with many Mindanao leaders, one of them former governor and congressman Datu Pax Mangudadatu.