The inclusion of Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has been upheld by the Supreme Court (SC).
The SC announced that it voted unanimously to dismiss a 2019 petition questioning the conduct of the plebiscite, the inclusion of Cotabato City in the region, and the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL).
“The vote was unanimous. Two Justices took no part and one Justice was on leave. There were no dissents,” an SC statement, quoted by a GMA News report, said.
In January 2019, residents moved for the inclusion of Cotabato City with 38,682 votes, while 24,994 individuals voted against it.
Earlier, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the ratification of the BOL and the incorporation of Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Region.
According to the SC, the poll body complied with the requirements of the law in conducting a plebiscite.
“The decision emphasized the constitutional mandate of the commission to guarantee the proper exercise of the right [to vote], which the Supreme Court will not interfere with if there is no grave abuse of discretion,” the SC said.
Further, the court said that petitioners Amil Sula, Gaspar Asi, and Hussein Malik Sr. failed to substantiate with the necessary evidence their allegations of fraud in the conduct of the plebiscite, GMA News further reported.
“The mere allegation that the inclusion of Cotabato City in the newly-formed Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was not the true intention of the voters of Cotabato City will not persuade this Court to overturn the actions of the Commission on Elections,” the decision read.
The creation of the Bangsamoro region was the key component of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, which the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed in 2014 after 17 years of peace negotiations.
The Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the interim parliament that governs the Bangsamoro region, is led by the MILF, with 41 of the 80 seats.MILF chair Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim has been designated the Interim Chief Minister of the Bangsamoro parliament.
Minister of the Interior and Local Government Naguib Sinarimbo, also the BARMM spokesperson, said they welcome the High Tribunal’s ruling.
