COTABATO CITY – The management of 63 North Cotabato barangays that opted for regional autonomy is now officially under the stewardship of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Hadji Murad” Ebrahim received the symbolic key from the delegation of North Cotabato officials led by Vice Gov. Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, serving as acting governor, in formal ceremony at the Sahriff Kabunsuan Cultural Center here last Wednesday.
The SKCC is the session hall of the 80-member BARMM Parliament, which subsequently concurred with the turnover of responsibility as a matter of procedural protocol.
In her ceremonial speech, Mendoza said the provincial government was “honored to be part of this history, to partake with (the Bangsamoro) common struggle for everlasting peace.” She described the event as “a continuing reminder of our unified cooperation and love for Mindanao.”
In response, Ebrahim reiterated his administration’s commitment for the 63 North Cotabato barangays to receive “utmost care” similar to that of other regular component-local government units in the BARMM.
“Rest assured we shall do our best to serve the people of the 63 barangays in continuance of your provincial slogan for ‘Serbisyong Totoo’ (true service) in conjunction with our avowed policy for regional moral governance,” Ebrahim told Mendoza’s delegation.
Meanwhile, officials of Bayang, Lanao del Sur have yielded 44 loose or undocumented firearms to the military in what they described as gesture of support to the campaign of the Duterte administration for a “shift to peaceful life from traditional propensity for feudalist stance.”
Bayang Mayor Aslani Balt led the turnover of the assorted firearms to the Army 55th Infantry battalion in formal ceremony last Monday, Lt. Col. Ian Ignes, battalion commander, said. (Ali Macabalang)
