COTABATO CITY (MindaNews / 31 August) — Bai Fatima Ainee Limbona-Sinsuat, the vice governor officer-in-charge (OIC) of Maguindanao del Norte, has reassumed as acting governor of the province during the celebration of National Heroes Day on Monday, invoking a recent ruling by the Supreme Court.
Her action stirred controversy and was criticized by the Bangsamoro Ministry of Interior and Local Government (MILG) headed by lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo.
During the National Heroes Day celebration, which coincided with the first day of the filing of the certificates of candidacy for the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE), Sinsuat issued a statement in Filipino with the letterhead “Office of the Provincial Governor,” and ending it with the title of “Acting Governor.”
She praised the efforts of the police and the military for securing the peace and order condition in the province, saying that they are needed especially with the official start of the BSKE election period.
In the middle of her message, Sinsuat announced that she’s reassuming as acting governor, noting that the Supreme Court sided with the Writ of Mandamus that she filed against the Bureau of Local Government Finance of the Department of Finance.
“Nais kong ipaliwanag na ang aking pag-upong muli bilang inyong acting governor ay dahil sa pagkilala sa atin ng Kataas-taasang Hukuman. Ideniklara nito na tama at alinsunod sa batas ang aking pag-upo noong nakaraang taon at ako ay mananatiling acting governor hanggang maihalal ang opisyal ng ating probinsya sa susunod na halalan,” Sinsuat, who was elected vice governor in the defunct Maguindanao province, said.
(Let me explain that I reassumed as acting governor because of the decision of the Supreme Court. It ruled that my assumption as acting governor last year was lawful and that I shall remain as such until the next elections.)
By reassuming as acting governor, Sinsuat said that she wanted “to correct the kind of governance” in the province being shown by the MILG, which according to her, “suppressed her right” to govern in such capacity.
“They insisted that my reassumption is illegal, but the Supreme Court had decided and now they are trying to make a different argument,” she added.
Acting Maguindanao del Norte Abdulraof Macacua has yet to comment on this development.
But the MILG-BARMM issued a statement on Wednesday, August 29, in response to Sinsuat’s claims.
Sinarimbo recalled that in October 2022, the Office of the President called a meeting in Panacan, Davao City attended by Sinsuat and Sharifudin Mastura and their families, representatives from the Bangsamoro government and mayors in the province.
“During the meeting, the Office of the President informed the parties that the President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.) will use his prerogative to appoint the officials of the newly-created provinces,” he said.
But after the meeting, both Sinsuat and Mastura took their Oaths of Office in Buluan, Maguindanao del Sur as actings governor and vice-governor, respectively, of Maguindanao del Norte province, Sinarimbo said.
He added the duo sent a letter to the MILG to recognize their positions, “without the knowledge of Malacañang.”
Sinarimbo said the letter was sent before Sinsuat filed her petition for a Writ of Mandamus at the Supreme Court in February 2023.
Sinarimbo also reiterated the vow of President Marcos that he would exercise his power to appoint the governor of Maguindanao del Norte, since the plebiscite to divide the one Maguindanao province happened after the May 9, 2022 elections.
Under Republic Act 11550, the law allowing the division of Maguindanao province, the plebiscite should happen before the May 2022 elections.
The plebiscite for the division of Maguindanao into two independent provinces was held on September 17, 2022.
In April 2023, President Marcos appointed Macacua, former BARMM executive secretary and military chief of the erstwhile rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front, as OIC governor of Maguindanao del Norte and Sinsuat as OIC vice governor.
They both accepted the designations and took their Oaths of Office in Malacañang.
“In several occasions, Bai Ainee Sinsuat expressed her support and compliments to (acting) Governor Macacua and President Marcos,” Sinarimbo recalled.
Last month, the Supreme Court’s Second Division ruled on the petition for Mandamus filed by Sinsuat. The decision favorable to Sinsuat was released earlier this month.
In its ruling, the High Tribunal stated: “Respondent Bureau of Local Government and Finance, Regional Office No. XII is ordered to process the appointment of Badorie M. Alonzo or any qualified person designated by petitioner Province of Maguindanao del Norte, through Acting Governor Fatima Ainee L. Sinsuat, as Provincial Treasurer of the Province of Maguindanao del Norte with utmost dispatch. The writ of preliminary mandatory injunction issued earlier is made permanent.”
After the Supreme Court ruling came out, the camps of Sinsuat and Mastura sent letters to the MILG-BARMM expressing their reassumption of office and asked the agency to recognize them.
But this was denied by the ministry, according to Sinarimbo, who pointed out the following reasons:
First, the decision is not yet final and their reassumption is premature.
Second, the Bangsamoro government, upon the directive of interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim, will file a Motion for Reconsideration on the ruling.
Third, the decision only considered the position of the treasurer and not about the governorship of Macacua.
And, fourth, there are supervening events making the decision “moot and academic,” including President Marcos’ appointment of Macacua as the acting governor and Sinsuat as acting vice-governor of Maguindanao del Norte.
Sinarimbo said that amid such controversy, the MILG “will decide based on the law and what was agreed upon with the Office of the President.” (Ferdinandh Cabrera / MindaNews)
