COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Village officials here said they were suing Maguindanao 1st district Representative Didagen Dilangalen in connection with the result of the 2007 census in the city.

Sukarno Sema, president of the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) here, said Dilangalen has consistently rejected the result of the census, which showed that the city was already qualified to have a separate congressional district from Maguindanao.

Based on the 2007 census the city's population increased by around 25,000 from the 2000 figure of 225,000.

"The latest population census confirmed that the city is now entitled to a separate congressional district under the 1987 Constitution," Councilor Froilan Melendrez said.

Mayor Muslimin Sema said the result of the 2007 census has already been approved by President Macapagal-Arroyo but Dilangalen would still not recognize it.

He said the move of the village chiefs was aimed at compelling Dilangalen, who represents the city in Congress, to recognize the presidential promulgation of the latest national census.

Sema said village officials have been holding meetings with lawyers to firm up the case against the legislator, who continues to be at odds with some city officials.

The decision to sue Dilangalen came after Maguindanao 2nd district Rep. Simeon Datumanong said he could not sponsor a bill for the creation of a separate district for the city because it is Dilangalen's turf.

"That's parliamentary courtesy. No member of Congress would want to sponsor any bill for another lawmaker's district," Datumanong said.

But Dilangalen explained he would not sponsor a bill that would create a congressional district for the city on the ground that the result of the census was rigged.

He said some politicians asked village officials to "maximize" figures in the 2007 census report.

But Sema, the ABC president, said Dilangalen's claim that the 2007 census was manipulated by officials was "too much, speculative and baseless."

Gabby Usman, chair of Bagua II village, said they were hurt by Dilangalen's allegation because if the manipulation really took place, then his village would have a large population already.

"The population of the village even decreased when compared to the result of the 2000 census," he said.

Sukarno Utto, chair of Barangay Shariff Kabunsuan, where Dilangalen lives, said the lawmaker should have noticed that the community's population had indeed grown three-fold since the last census.

Rasulden Mangelen, city statistics officer, said village officials merely guided census enumerators around.

"In fairness, the statistical probability in that small increment is very high," Mangelen said."We rule out the possibility of manipulation, as alleged."

But Dilangalen maintained his claim.

"In time, we will know who are behind this," he said.