File photo of MP Baileng Mantawil and Sultan Kudarat ABC President Norman Otto. (Photo courtesy of DXMS Radio Cotabato)
COTABATO CITY – A bill creating a new municipality in Maguindanao del Norte has been filed before the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the provisional parliament of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
BTA member Baileng Mantawil said she filed BTA Bill No. 223 On Thursday, seeking to create the town of Nuling with the proposed seat of government in Barangay Pinaring.
If passed into law, the proposed municipality will be composed of 18 barangays currently under the jurisdiction of adjacent Sultan Kudarat town.
Mantawil's measure is the third proposal to create new municipalities in Maguindanao del Norte after a separate bill creating two towns from Datu Odin Sinsuat municipality was filed in the BARMM legislature recently.
However, Sultan Kudarat town village officials oppose the proposed split.
Sultan Kudarat Association of Barangay Captains president Norman Otto, concurrently an ex-officio member of Sangguniang Bayan, said he and other village officials see no reason to divide the town.
He alleged that there was no consultation conducted for the purpose and that they only learned of the proposed creation of a new town out of Sultan Kudarat villages through the media.
All the 39 village chairpersons have expressed opposition and declared the proposed division will not do the town any good. (PNA)
