Cotabato City, 63 Cotabato province villages now officially part of BARMM

Police stand guard outside the Cotabato City Hall on Tuesday (Dec. 15) during the turnover of supervision of the city to the BARMM. PHOTO BY FERDINANDH CABRERA

COTABATO CITY—The seat of the Moro autonomous region on Tuesday (Dec. 15) became officially part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano formally turned over supervision of the city to the BARMM Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) at a ceremony in the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here.

Año also turned over supervision of 63 villages in six towns of Cotabato province which, along with the city, voted to become part of BARMM at a plebiscite in 2019 to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Act.

As part of the handover, Año transferred the records and assets of the former DILG regional office and the Cotabato City field office to the BARMM.

With the DILG chief during the turnover rites were Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Debold Sinas, and Undersecretary David Diciano of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

Also at the event were, among others, BARMM interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim, Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua, Maguindanao Gov. Mariam Mangudadatu, Sultan Kudarat Gov. Suharto Mangudadatu and Cotabato provincial administrator Efren Piñol, representing Gov. Nancy Catamco.

“We all know it will not be easy to bring change and the processes for the turnover of governance of Cotabato City to BARMM,” said Ano in a speech at the ceremony. “This has a big implication and impact on the security situation and safety of the entire city and region,” he said.

He also appealed to armed groups to end the violence in the city and the whole of Mindanao.

“We are all tired of violence, so now is the time for us to win together,” he said, noting officials involved in the transition should lead the local governments through this rough journey of transition.

The 63 villages of Cotabato province included Dunguan and Tapodoc in Aleosan; Manarapan, Nasapian, Kibayao, Ktulaan, Langogan, Pebpoloan and Tupig in Carmen;

Nanga-an, Simbuhay, Sanggadong, Buluan, Pedtad, Simone and Tamped in Kabacan; Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kapinpilan, Kudarangan, Central Labas, Malingao, Mudseng, Nabalawag, Olandang, Sambulawan, Tugal and Tumbras in Midsayap;

Lower Baguer, Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Kadingilan, Matilac, Patot, Lower Pangangkalan, Datu Mantil, Libungan Torreta, Upper Pangangkalan and Simsiman in Pigcawayan; and

Bagoinged, S. Balong, S. Balongis, Batulaawan, Buliok, Gokotan, Kabasalan, Lagunde, Macabual, Macasendeg, Barungis, Bualan, Bulol, Fort Pikit, Gli-gli, Manaulanan, Nabundas, Nalapaan, Nunguan, Pamalian, Panicupan and Rajah Muda in Pikit.

Although the capital of the now defunct Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao since 1989, Cotabato City was never part of that political entity.

Edited by TSB