Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Mindanao, one of the Philippines' poorest areas, has been plagued by decades-long Muslim and communist insurgencies. The al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group is active in the area.

Ampatuan takes over from Parouk Hussin, who led the ARMM for three years. Hussin's Moro National Liberation Front -- a former rebel group that signed peace with the government in 1996 -- boycotted the election amid divisions within the organization.

The main separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, which has been holding Malaysian-brokered peace talks with the government, also refused to participate in the election but did not stop its members from voting.

Elections Commissioner Resurreccion Borra said at least half of about 1 million registered voters turned out to elect a new governor, vice governor and 24 members of the legislative assembly in the autonomous zone -- five predominantly Muslim provinces and a city in the southern Philippines.

The Japan Times Weekly: Aug. 20, 2005
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