COTABATO CITY - Maguindanao (2nd District) Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu has filed a bill that seeks to divide the province into two through the creation of “Maguindanao North province.”
House Bill 3054 seeks to create the new province form the towns that comprise Maguindanao’s first congressional district: Barira, Buldon, Datu Odin Sinuat (Dinaig), Kabuntalan, Matanog, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Upi, Sultan Mastura, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat and Northern Kabuntalan.
Mangudadatu, the former Maguindanao governor, said he filed his bill on Monday afternoon (August 5).
The current undivided province Maguindanao has 36 towns, with Shariff Aguak municipality in the second district chosen by new Maguindanao Governor Bai Mariam Sangki-Mangudadatu as administrative capital.
In his 30-page bill, Mangudadatu proposed that the town of Datu Odin Sinsuat becomes the Maguindanao North province’s capital.
Lawyer Kirby Abdullah, Mangudadatu’s chief of staff, said the lawmaker believes the creation of a new province will provide economic and political empowerment to all Muslims, Christians and indigenous peoples in the 11 towns.
Mangudadatu said creating a new province could also compliment the normalization process following the full implementation of the government peace deal with Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The Philippine News Agency tried to reach Maguindanao (1st District) Rep. Ronne Sinsuat for comments but to no avail.
On September 7, 2006, the now-defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) approved a proposal to create Shariff Kabunsuan province composed of the 11 towns in Maguindanao’s first congressional district.
However, the Supreme Court declared the proposal null and void stating that only Congress can create a province. (PNA)
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1077115
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