THE Presidential appointment of Abdulraof Macacua as governor of Maguindanao del Norte is legitimate and was never questioned in court, according to Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Bangsamoro Ministry of the Interior and Local Government.
Sinarimbo, himself a lawyer, underscored that the power of the President to appoint local officials has not been questioned either in local courts or the Supreme Court.
He made the statements at a press conference on Thursday during which a reporter asked whether Macacua should be recognized as the legitimate governor of Maguindanao del Norte.
The question was asked in light of a new development on the province’s gubernatorial controversy, wherein the Supreme Court Second Division reversed its June 26, 2023 decision on a mandamus case that would inherently compel the regional government’s Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) to appoint a provincial treasurer.
Sinarimbo said MILG lawyers have assailed the June 26 petition, mandamus being a final remedy available for parties to push for the execution of a court decision, after the contending parties have presented their facts of the case, and the Court has appreciated them in a final decision.
“You would have no choice when you are the recipient of a mandamus order; so, we asked the Supreme Court for other available remedies than outright mandamus,” Sinarimbo explained to reporters.
Thus, Sinarimbo said, as to the legitimacy of Macacua’s appointment as governor of Maguindanao del Norte remained legitimate and unassailable since President Marcos himself handed it to him and swore him to oath of public office on April 20, 2023.
Sinarimbo admitted however, that some operational lapses in the past that are now being addressed raised questions of transitional fiscal authorities on disbursement, pending then the appointment of a provincial treasurer.
A treasurer of a local government unit is chosen from among individuals nominated by the Chief Executive, for appointment by the BLGF, which is under the Department of Finance.