Comelec to hold 2-day Bangsamoro plebiscite
Credit to Author: WILLIAM DEPASUPIL, TMT| Date: Fri, 07 Dec 2018 18:42:30 +0000
A scheduled plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) early next year will be held on two separate days to allow more time for full resolution of petitions for voluntary inclusion in the plebiscite, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Comelec spokesman James Jimenez disclosed on Friday that as approved by the commission en banc, the original plebiscite schedule of Jan. 21, 2019, would push through but only limited to geographical areas comprising the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), as well as Isabela City, Basilan and Cotabato City.
The second plebiscite, which will be held on Feb. 6, 2019, will cover the provinces of Lanao del Norte, except Iligan City, the municipalities of Aleosan, Carmen, Kabacan, Midsayap, Pikit and Pigkawayan in the province of North Cotabato; and all other areas contiguous to the Bangsamoro core areas where the local government of such areas, by way of a resolution, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite or at least 10 percent of the registered voters in a local government unit, by way of a petition, also asked for inclusion in the plebiscite.
Jimenez said there were 99 pending petitions for inclusion in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR).
Submission of petitions for voluntary inclusion in the plebiscite to ratify the BOL is provided for under Republic Act (RA) 11054.
“Under the law, we will not conduct the plebiscite only in places that are named in the law but also conduct plebiscite in the areas that petitioned to be part of the Bangsamoro,” Jimenez said.
Pursuant to RA 11054, all other areas contiguous to the territorial jurisdiction of the proposed BAR may submit a petition for voluntary inclusion.
The territorial jurisdiction of the BAR consists of the ARMM provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao; six municipalities in Lanao del Norte; 39 barangay (villages) in North Cotabato; Cotabato City in Maguindanao; and Isabela City in Basilan.
Subject to the approval of Comelec, the territorial jurisdiction of the BAR may further include “all other contiguous areas where: (a) the local government unit thereof, by way of a resolution, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite; or (b) at least 10 percent 10 of the registered voters in the local government unit, by way of a petition, asked for inclusion in the plebiscite [Section 3[f], Article I of Resolution 10425].”
A petitioning local government unit (LGU) must submit, in nine legible copies, a Sanggunian resolution that bears the official seal of said LGU and is approved by at least a majority of its members.
The petition shall state the specific areas of the BAR that the petitioning LGU claims to be contiguous to, the reasons for such claim, and that there is no pending boundary dispute involving the petitioning LGU.
The Sangguniang resolution and the supporting documents shall be personally filed at the Office of the Clerk of the Comelec in Intramuros, Manila.
Alternatively, any registered voter of a contiguous LGU may initiate the filing of a petition, which must be supported by at least 10 percent of the registered voters therein.
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