Comelec approves 28 barangays out of 103 petitions for BOL plebiscite

MARAWI CITY: The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has approved eight more barangays in North Cotabato to join the plebiscite for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), bringing the total number of barangays in the province included in the electoral process to 28.

“Recently, we announced that we already approved 20 inclusions in the plebiscite areas. Ito na ‘yung final list ng inclusions natin (This is the final list of inclusions), we (came out) with 28,” Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said in a press briefing Friday.

The newly-approved barangays to be included in the referendum are Pamalian, and Fort Pikit in Pikit; Pedtad, Buluan, Simone and Tamped in Kabacan; Tumbras in Midsayap and Galidan in Tulunan.

The initial 20 barangays included in the scheduled plebiscite are Libungan Torreta, Upper Pangankalan, Datu Mantil, and Simsiman in Pigcawayan; Barangay Pagangan in Aleosan; and Barangays Langogan, Pebpoloan, Kibayao, Kotulaan, and Tupig in Carmen.

Also, Barangays Rajahmuda, Barungis, Gli-gli, Nalapaan, Palicupan, Nunguan, Manaulanan, Bulol, Bualan, and Nabundas, all in Pikit.

With this, Jimenez reported that only 28 out of the 103 petitions were approved by the Commission en banc.

“Merong mga hindi na include (There are those who were not included) because of considerations. Well, first of all, whether or not they are actually contiguous. In other cases, they just absolutely had no contiguous border with existing territories so those had to be denied,” Jimenez added.

The Comelec had said that the areas contiguous to any of the Bangsamoro core areas may ask for voluntary inclusion in the plebiscite, by either the local government of such an area filing a resolution; or at least 10 percent of the registered voters in a local government unit filing a petition and ask for inclusion in the plebiscite.

If approved, the Bangsamoro plebiscite in such areas that sought voluntary inclusion will be held on February 6.

The first scheduled plebiscite set on January 21 will be held in geographical areas comprising Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and Isabela City in Basilan and Cotabato City. (With story from PNA)