Six Lanao del Norte towns will remain part of the province after failing to get majority votes to join the new Bangsamoro autonomous region in Wednesday’s plebiscite, the provincial office of the Commission on Elections told CNN Philippines.
READ: BOL plebiscite: Eyes on Lanao, North Cotabato
The Regional Plebiscite Board of Canvassers said the towns of Tagoloan, Balo-i, Pantar, Munai, Tangcal, and Nunungan were unable to get the double majority votes needed for them to break away from Lanao del Norte and be included in the soon-to-be-established Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Meanwhile, an official has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petitions seeking to nullify the law expanding the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to become a Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.
In a comment-in-intervention, Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu urged the high court to uphold the constitutionality of Republic Act No. 11054, or the Bangsamoro Organic Law, citing the overwhelming vote for its ratification in the plebiscite.
READ: Mangudadatu: BOL ratification to address regional issues
Mangudadatu said the high court should dismiss the petitions of the Sulu provincial government led by Gov. Abdusakur Tan II and the Philippine Constitutional Association seeking to nullify RA 11054, which expands the ARMM to become BAR, saying the Mindanao people had already spoken in favor of the new autonomous region in Mindanao.
While all six municipalities voted to be part of the new region that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the rest of Lanao del Norte said “no” to the proposal.
Here is the complete breakdown of the votes of each of the six towns, according to the Comelec:
Baloi
Yes: 8,553
No: 3,038
Provincial vote for Baloi separation:
Yes: 73,164
No: 154,553
Munai
Yes: 10,765
No: 4
Provincial vote for Munai separation:
Yes: 71,148
No: 158,025
Nunungan
Yes: 1,802
No: 1,004
Provincial vote for Nunungan separation:
Yes: 79,935
No: 156,630
Pantar
Yes: 7,840
No: 256
Provincial vote for Pantar separation:
Yes: 73,992
No: 157,705
Tagoloan
Yes: 2,760
No: 1,373
Provincial vote for Tagoloan separation:
Yes: 78,849
No: 156,605
Tangkal
Yes: 6,276
No: 0
Provincial vote for Tangkal separation:
Yes: 75,364
No: 157,417
Voter turnout in the second plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law was at 68.8 percent, Comelec added.
Results of the provincial canvass will be transmitted to the National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers at the Comelec headquarters in Manila. With Rey E. Requejo
