SC upholds inclusion of Cotabato City in BARMM

The Supreme Court (SC) announced on Thursday that it upheld the inclusion of Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Voting unanimously, the SC dismissed on Tuesday 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," the High Court said in a statement.

In January 2019, residents moved for the inclusion of Cotabato City with 38,682 votes, while 24,994 individuals voted against it.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) later declared the ratification of the BOL and the incorporation of Cotabato City in the Bangsamoro Region.

According to the Court, 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," it 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.

"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. —VBL, GMA Integrated News