COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 12 April)— On his first day in office, Maguindanao del Norte OIC Governor Abdulraof Macacua announced that his leadership is eyeing to establish the provincial seat in the old capitol compound of the former undivided province in Simuay in the municipality of Sultan Kudarat.
But Section 5 of Republic Act 11550, the law behind the split of Maguindanao into two provinces, stipulated that the seat of Maguindanao del Norte will be in the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat.
Macacua, in the press conference on Tuesday held in his temporary office in the old National Commission on Muslim Filipinos (NCMF) building along Sinsuat Avenue in this city, said they are looking at an old law that stipulates the legality of his idea.
“It’s covered by certain laws and it is a government property, there is a power to create resolution from the old law. Let’s see,” Macacua said.
Simuay is close to Camp Darapanan, the main camp of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), where Macacua is the military chief.
He has called on the other leaders of the region not to belittle President Marcos Jr. on the latter’s decision for his appointment.
“They can go to the Supreme Court, those who still cannot accept the decision. If they see it as illegal and immoral, if the court says so, then I’m willing to step down,” he said.
According to Macacua, President Marcos, during their conversation in Malacañang, asked him to help in transforming the new province, to establish peace and security, and help the government in the war on drugs.
Maguindanao del Norte apparently has some potentials as far as development is concerned.
It has an airport in the municipality of Datu Odin Sinsuat, situated in the middle of the military camp of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, an international sea port and the seat of police regional headquarters in Parang town, eco-tourism sites in the municipalities of Matanog, Buldon, Barira and Datu Blah Sinsuat. The province also hosts Cotabato City, a major commercial center in the region and location of various government centers. (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
