BACOLOD CITY – Top officials of this highly-urbanized city will leave it to the Supreme Court (SC) to decide on the petition questioning the legality of Republic Act (RA) 12000, the law that created the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Bacolod City Lone District Rep. Greg Gasataya, one of the co-authors of RA 12000, and Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez here Wednesday echoed the statement of Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson to let the highest court of the land resolve the petition.
“Let’s leave it to the Supreme Court to decide on the legal concerns and the clarifications on the issues they have raised. The government will defend and answer all queries at a proper time,” Gasataya said in an interview.
The petitioners from Negros Oriental and Siquijor, led by Rev. Fr. Hendrix Alar, sought the issuance of a temporary restraining order, claiming that the creation of NIR was illegal as it was neither submitted to the people through a plebiscite nor was a public consultation held.
Signed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on June 13, RA 12000 created an administrative region comprising Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor.
The NIR Act separates Negros Occidental from Western Visayas (Region 6) and Negros Oriental and Siquijor from Central Visayas (Region 7).
Benitez said the groups in Negros Oriental who support the NIR should continue to explain the benefits for the people under the new region.
"Maybe (those against it) just lack information on what will happen under the NIR. It’s up to the Supreme Court to make the decision, to decide on the merits of the case,” he added.
On Tuesday, Lacson said anybody could file a petition before the Supreme Court, “but it will be up to it to decide what is best and how to treat that petition.”
The NIR technical working group has already completed the internal rules and regulations for the signing of Lacson, Negros Oriental Governor Manuel Sagarbarria, Siquijor Governor Jake Vincent Villa, and Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr.
In signing the NIR Act into law, the President said the new region would be a “bulwark of greater growth” and a “conduit” for more effective and efficient delivery of essential services for its people. (PNA)
