Lanao del Norte says ‘no’ to inclusion of its 6 towns in BARMM

FILE: Canvassing is ongoing at Pikit Central School, Pikit, North Cotabato. The ballot in the municipality of Pikit is the biggest in the February 6, 2019. (Photo: COMELEC/Facebook)

Lanao del Norte refused to include six of its municipalities in the new Bangsamoro autonomous region.

This, according to the unofficial results of the Wednesday’s plebiscite released by the Provincial Plebiscite Board of Canvassers on Thursday, February 7.

Thirteen towns in Lanao del Norte rejected the inclusion of Balo-i, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan, and Tangkal which wanted to join the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Those municipalities who are not in favor of it were Bacolod, Baroy, Kauswagan, Kolambugan, Linamon, Maigo, Matungao, Tubod, Kapatagan, Lala, Magsaysay, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, and Sapad.

Meanwhile, those towns which supported the inclusion of the six towns in the Bangsamoro were Panto Ragat, Poona Piagapo, and Salvador.

Below is the breakdown of the results:

Balo-i

Yes: 8,553

No: 3,038

However, 154, 553 voters from all other towns voted no for Balo-i’s inclusion, while only 73,164 voters said yes.

Pantar

Yes: 7,846

No: 236

But all other towns dismissed its inclusion, garnering 150,705 no votes. Only 73,992 voters said yes.

Tagoloan

Yes: 2,790

No: 1,327

A total of 156,605 voters from other municipalities rejected the Tagoloan’s inclusion, while 78,849 approved it.

Munai

Yes: 10,766

No: 3

The number of voters outside Munai who said no, however, was higher (158,025) than those who said yes (71,148).

Nunungan

Yes: 1,846

No: 908

One hundred fifty-six and six hundred thirty no votes were recorded in other towns, compared to the 79,935 yes votes.

Tangkal

Yes: 6,277

No: 6

Those who opposed Tangkal’s inclusion were at 157,417, while voters who are in favor of it were at 75,364.

For the six towns to be included in the BARMM, majority of Lanao del Norte including both the specified six municipalities and the other 16 should agree.

The National Plebiscite Board of Canvassers at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) headquarters in Manila has yet to receive the results.

The Comelec last month announced the ratification of Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL), after 1,504,017 residents in the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) voted yes to the creation of the BARMM.