Group urges SC to junk BARMM law creating parliamentary districts
COTABATO CITY — The Save Bangsamoro Movement returned to the Supreme Court on Monday with a rally to press its opposition to several provisions of the Bangsamoro Autonomy Act (BAA) No. 86, the law that created the parliamentary districts of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
In a statement, Datu Toks Abdulrahman, spokesperson of the Save Bangsamoro Movement, urged the high tribunal to closely examine the law and the configuration of the districts it drew, particularly those the group questions on grounds of territorial makeup and geographic contiguity.
Chief among the group’s targets is the 3rd Parliamentary District of Maguindanao del Norte, composed of the municipalities of Northern Kabuntalan, Kabuntalan, and Talitay; two barangays of Cotabato City; and five barangays of Sultan Kudarat.
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Abdulrahman questioned whether the district’s creation adequately met the standards of population, compactness, adjacency, and geographic contiguity.
The group likewise sought a review of the 2nd Parliamentary District of Lanao del Sur, which covers the municipalities of Kapai, Marantao, Piagapo, and Saguiaran.
Abdulrahman raised concerns over Kapai’s geographic relationship with the district’s other towns and whether its inclusion conforms to districting standards.
He asked the Supreme Court to independently assess the territorial boundaries, population basis, and geographic configuration of the districts created under BAA 86.
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Carrying the call “No to gerrymandering,” the movement asked the Court to declare BAA 86 unconstitutional based on the constitutional and geographic issues it has raised.
Abdulrahman said the group’s action is to secure lawful redistricting, ensure fair representation, and uphold the integrity of the Bangsamoro electoral system.
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The Bangsamoro government said the parliamentary districts were drawn on population size, existing political boundaries, geographic contiguity, and accessibility.
BAA 86 was the basis for electing parliamentary district representatives during the Sept. 14 regional polls./coa
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