Supreme Court (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)
MANILA – The Supreme Court has finally ruled to grant the petition of Maguindanao del Norte to have a provincial treasurer following the division of Maguindanao into two provinces late last year.
The decision published online Tuesday ordered the regional office of the Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF) to process the appointment of any qualified person designated by the local government unit as provincial treasurer.
The ruling affirmed the writ of preliminary injunction issued by the high tribunal in April requiring the BLGF regional office to act on the designation.
"Here, we cannot allow the newly created province of Maguindanao del Norte to be crippled without its provincial treasurer who discharges the vital task of managing the fiscal affairs of the province as the same affects the entire operation of the local government unit," the SC ruled. "Prompt action by the court is thus necessary and exigent in this situation."
In February, then acting governor Fatima Ainee Sinsuat filed the petition before the SC to designate Badorie Alonzo or any qualified person designated by the newly formed province as provincial treasurer.
Maguindanao was divided into Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur following a plebiscite in September 2022.
In the last week of June, former Moro Islamic Liberation Front-Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces chief Abdulraof Macacua and former Maguindanao vice governor Sinsuat were appointed as governor and vice governor of Maguindanao del Norte, respectively.
Although the province has since received national tax allotment, it was not able to disburse the funds since it has no treasurer, a required signatory. (PNA)
