Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman is calling on the Commission on Elections to seriously reexamine its decision disallowing over 200,000 voters in North Cotabato from participating in the local elections this coming May.
The poll body on January 3 barred over 200,000 voters in 63 Special Geographic Areas (SGA) in North Cotabato from voting for candidates in the local elections and only allowed them to vote for those running in national positions.
These 63 SGAs form part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), but have yet to be reconstituted to their respective local governments under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.
“Until they are formally part of BARMM, the status quo must prevail and they must be allowed to vote for the local elections in North Cotabato. Otherwise, we will have a situation where they are not represented in government,” said Hataman, former governor of the now-defunct ARMM.
“And if you are not represented in the government, who will push for your interest? Who will take care of your needs? Let us not disenfranchise 200,000 of our voters. Let us allow them to vote in May,” he added.
Comelec’s decision, Hataman said, does not only disenfranchise the voters but also deprives them of their right to suffrage.
