The city of Cotabato, 63 towns in the province of Cotabato are now officially part of BARMM

Police stand guard in front of the Cotabato City Hall on Tuesday (December 15) during the transfer of supervision of the city to the BARMM. PHOTO OF FERDINAND CABRERA

COTABATO CITY – The Moro Autonomous Region headquarters on Tuesday (December 15) officially became part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Ano formally handed over oversight of the city to BARMM’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG) in a ceremony at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex here.

Year also delivered the supervision of 63 towns in six towns in the province of Cotabato that, together with the city, voted to be part of BARMM in a plebiscite in 2019 to ratify the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

As part of the handover, Año transferred the records and assets of the former DILG regional office and the city of Cotabato field office to BARMM.

With the head of the DILG during the rites of change were the Secretary of Defense, Delfin Lorenzana, the head of the Philippine National Police, General Debold Sinas, and the undersecretary David Diciano of the Office of the Presidential Advisor for the Peace Process.

Also attending the event were, among others, the Acting Prime Minister of BARMM, Ahod Ebrahim, the Minister of Education, Mohagher Iqbal, the Executive Secretary of BARMM, Abdulraof Macacua, the Governor of Maguindanao, Mariam Mangudadatu, the Governor of Sultan Kudarat, Suharto Mangudadatu, and the provincial administrator of Cotabato, Efren Piñol, representing Governor Nancy. Catamco.

“We all know that it will not be easy to bring change and the processes for the rotation of the governance of the city of Cotabato to BARMM,” Ano said in a speech at the ceremony. “This has a great implication and impact on the security and safety situation of the entire city and the region,” he said.

He also called on armed groups to end the violence in the city and throughout Mindanao.

“We are all tired of the violence, so now is the time to win together,” he said, noting that officials involved in the transition must guide local governments through this difficult transition path.

The 63 villages in Cotabato province included Dunguan and Tapodoc in Aleosan; Manarapan, Nasapian, Kibayao, Ktulaan, Langogan, Pebpoloan and Tupig in Carmen;

Nanga-an, Simbuhay, Sanggadong, Buluan, Pedtad, Simone and Tamped in Kabacan; Damatulan, Kadigasan, Kadingilan, Kapinpilan, Kudarangan, Central Labas, Malingao, Mudseng, Nabalawag, Olandang, Sambulawan, Tugal and Tumbras in Midsayap;

Lower Baguer, Balacayon, Buricain, Datu Binasing, Kadingilan, Matilac, Patot, Lower Pangangkalan, Datu Mantil, Libungan Turret, Upper Pangangkalan and Simsiman on Pigcawayan; and

Bagoinged, S. Balong, S. Balongis, Batulaawan, Buliok, Gokotan, Kabasalan, Lagunde, Macabual, Macasendeg, Barungis, Bualan, Bulol, Fort Pikit, Gli-gli, Manaulanan, Nabundas, Nalapaan, Nunguan, Pamalian, Panhicupan and Rajaupan Young man in Pikit.

Although it is the capital of the now-defunct Muslim Mindanao Autonomous Region since 1989, the city of Cotabato was never part of that political entity.

Edited by TSB

Read next

Don’t miss the latest news and information.