Cotabato City finally part of BARMM

“The city was a social laboratory where Muslims and Christians lived in harmony, unaffected by and unmindful of their variance in religion.

“Will the inclusion of the city in the BARMM areas bring more benefits, peace, and development to Cotabateños?

This is not news to many. Most residents in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao had the impression that after the plebiscite of January 2019 where Cotabateños voted to be part of the newly-minted region, the inclusion of the city was a foregone conclusion. But no. There were residents of the city who filed a court case questioning the result of the plebiscite, claiming it was tainted with massive anomalies and poll irregularities that did not reflect the true will of the people. In fact, the case had lingered in the Supreme Court for nearly four years before the controversy was put to rest recently.

In the interregnum, oppositors to the inclusion of Cotabato City had pulled out all stops to frustrate and stymie the move. Not even the visit and pronouncement of then Secretary Edgardo Año of the Department of the Interior and Local Government that the city was officially part of BARMM stopped the anti-inclusion forces from pursuing their campaign.

The issue had become heated and controversial that no less than then-President Rodrigo Duterte had to intervene, to no avail. Squid tactics and other delaying moves were employed. The issue got the goat of the leadership of the BARMM that, according to some observers, it had become personal. This resulted in the leadership of BARMM putting up their candidate under the Bangsamoro Justice Party who defeated the mayor, a strong advocate for the non-inclusion of the city. Now the city has a mayor allied with the BARMM.

But even with all these developments and overt official acts of the national government recognizing Cotabato City as part of BARMM, still, the case before the Supreme Court was a Sword of Damocles hanging over the heads of the BARMM leadership. They still felt unease over the pending case until the Supreme Court recently finally wrote a finish to the issue.

In an official statement issued by the interim Chief Minister, he thanked the Chief Justice and the members of the Supreme Court for “safeguarding the democratic will of Cotabateños and for making sure that an important piece of the Bangsamoro peace process is in place.”

Highlighting the importance of the decision, he said “Cotabato City is and will always be the crown jewel of the Bangsamoro and a home to some of the most important moments of our history.” He described the decision as validating “our beloved Cotabateños’ collective desire to write their future and bring the city to greater heights.”

This column acknowledges the principled opposition of the leaders who were sincerely convinced that the city’s inclusion in the BARMM would do the city no good They fought a good fight. They could not come to terms with the fact that in the decades that Cotabato City was not part of the autonomous governments starting from the time of President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. up to the creation of the BARMM, the city had relatively thrived. It was spared from the turmoil experienced in the autonomous areas. The city was a social laboratory where Muslims and Christians lived in harmony, unaffected by and unmindful of their variance in religion. And so, they asked: Why disturb the status quo? Why tinker with it if it ain’t broke?

The decision will clear up the oddity that while Cotabato City is nestled within the autonomous areas it was not part of it. It seems strange that while the government center and therefore seat of the BARMM government is in a compound within the city, it is outside the supervision of the autonomous authority. Many even had the false impression that the city was the capital of BARMM, which it is not. The decision is welcomed generally by the stakeholders.

This is the challenge that now faces the BARMM leadership and the city mayor. Will the inclusion of the city in the BARMM areas bring more benefits, peace, and development to Cotabateños? The jury is still out.