The Shariff Kabunsuan creation plebiscite was a plebiscite on the creation of the Provinces of the Philippines, Province of Shariff Kabunsuan in the Philippines. The plebiscite was conducted on October 28, 2006 and results were announced on October 31, 2006. The proposed province — named after Mohammed Kabungsuwan, Shariff Mohammed Kabungsuwan, an Arab-Malay Islamic preacher who introduced Islam to central Mindanao in the 16th century, — was established under ''Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 201'' which was signed into law by Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, ARMM Regional Governor Zaldy Ampatuan on September 7, 2006. MMAA 201 provided for the creation of a new province comprising the nine municipalities of Barira, Shariff Kabunsuan, Barira, Buldon, Shariff Kabunsuan, Buldon, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Kabuntalan, Shariff Kabunsuan, Kabuntalan, Matanog, Shariff Kabunsuan, Matanog, Parang, Shariff Kabunsuan, Parang, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sultan Kudarat, Sultan Mastura, Shariff Kabunsuan, Sultan Mastura, and Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan, Upi, all of the Legislative districts of Maguindanao#First District, first legislative district of the province of Maguindanao. A tenth municipality, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, was created within the proposed province on September 16, 2006, weeks prior to the actual plebiscite for the creation of the province. Maguindanao province, Maguindanao Governor Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. originally pushed for the creation of the new province to "decentralize governance and maximize development in poor Muslim communities, most of which have been areas of armed conflict for decades." He and his son Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, ARMM Regional Governor Zaldy Ampatuan, campaigned for the creation of Shariff Kabunsuan to better extend government services to residents, particularly those in the "precipitous" parts of the area.

Referendum question

The Shariff Kabunsuan creation plebiscite was supervised and officiated by the Commission on Elections (Philippines), COMELEC pursuant to Resolution No. 7727. The question of the said plebiscite was:

DO YOU APPROVE OF THE CREATION OF THE PROVINCE OF SHARIFF KABUNSUAN, INTO A DISTINCT AND INDEPENDENT PROVINCE COMPRISING THE MUNICIPALITIES OF Barira, Shariff Kabunsuan, BARIRA, Buldon, Shariff Kabunsuan, BULDON, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan, DATU ODIN SINSUAT, Kabuntalan, Shariff Kabunsuan, KABUNTALAN, Matanog, Shariff Kabunsuan, MATANOG, Parang, Shariff Kabunsuan, PARANG, Sultan Kudarat, Shariff Kabunsuan, SULTAN KUDARAT, Sultan Mastura, Shariff Kabunsuan, SULTAN MASTURA, Upi, Shariff Kabunsuan, UPI AND Datu Blah T. Sinsuat, Shariff Kabunsuan, DATU BLAH T. SINSUAT IN THE Maguindanao province, PROVINCE OF MAGUINDANAO, PURSUANT TO MMA ACT NO. 201?

Results

The following municipalities seceded from Maguindanao and formed the new province. All of them were from the first legislative districts of Maguindanao, legislative district of Maguindanao. Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Datu Odin Sinsuat was designated the capital of the new province, per Section 1 of MMA Act 201. The province was the first to be created under Republic Act No. 9054 or the Expanded ARMM law.

Aftermath

By 2008, in ''Sema v. COMELEC and Dilangalen'', the Supreme Court of the Philippines, Supreme Court ruled the creation of the province as unconstitutional, as the constitution only gives Congress of the Philippines, Congress the power of creating legislative districts; this means that provinces and cities, which are made up of legislative districts, can only be created by a Republic Act made by Congress. This led to the province being reverted to Maguindanao.

References

{{Philippine local elections 2006 referendums 2006 in the Philippines Provincial plebiscites in the Philippines 2006 elections in the Philippines Politics of Maguindanao Presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Administrative division referendums

Referendum question

Results

Aftermath

See also

References