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COTABATO CITY (MindaNews/ 09 Oct) – Maguindanao provincial Vice Gov. Lester Sinsuat has proposed the division of Maguindanao into two provinces with two districts each.
Sinsuat made the proposal Monday at the gathering of Muslim political leaders led by the Mangudadatu and Sinsuat clans, who reaffirmed their alliance at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here.
In 2006, Maguindanao was divided by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act 201 leading to the creation of Shariff Kabungsuan province.
However, on 17 July 2008, the Supreme Court declared the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan as unconstitutional citing that the power to create provinces belongs to Congress.
Sinsuat also proposed to divide the new province into two congressional districts.
“If you noticed in Maguindanao’s first district, local leaders have come up with a consensus to create a new province,” Sinsuat said.
He said the division of Maguindanao into smaller political districts will help prevent violence involving clans.
He said a new province is possible with his uncle Ronnie Sinsuat running for the first district and third-term Governor Esmael Mangudadatu seeking to represent the second district.
The Mangudadatu and Sinsuat clans have just reaffirmed political ties via a compact that their leaders signed during a meeting last month. (Ferdinandh Cabrera/MindaNews)
