Groups ask SC to declare Negros Island Region ‘unconstitutional’
DUMAGUETE CITY – Two groups composed of residents of Negros Oriental and Siquijor provinces have filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to nullify the law creating the Negros Island Region (NIR).
Fr. Hendrix Alar, Dr. Maria Lina Eparwa, Engr. Wilfredo Magallano and lawyer Marcelino Maxino — representing the Barug Negros Oriental and Siquijor; and lawyers Jose Imaculado Palmitos and Grace Sumalpong, of Tingog Siquijodnon — on Friday asked the High Court to issue a temporary restraining order or a writ of preliminary injunction on the implementation of the NIR and for it to be declared unconstitutional.
They argued that Republic Act 12000 creating the Negros Island Region, which President Marcos signed into law on June 13 this year, “was never submitted to the people through a plebiscite as constitutionally required, neither was there any public consultation.”
The primacy of the fundamental law, they added, was violated and the people were deprived of their fundamental rights to suffrage and information.
“Now the people of Negros Oriental and Siquijor are being legally compelled to accept a law that materially alters their way of life, burdens their local government units, and forces them to be part of an aggrupation with people they have little historical or cultural affinity with,” they said.
Different languages
They petitioners said Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, while on the same island, are separated by the tall and long mountain range of Cuernos de Negros, and their peoples speak different languages.
Negros Oriental used to belong to Central Visayas along with Cebu, Siquijor and Bohol. Oriental Negrense are mostly Cebuano speakers. Negros Occidental used to be a part of Western Visayas along with the Panay Island provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Antique and Aklan, and the island-province of Guimaras. Occidental Negrenses speak Hiligaynon.
Siquijor is also a Cebuano-speaking province, the petitioners noted.
They said that while the NIR Act projects itself to be a law to unite the Negros provinces, it is actually a measure that will engender unnecessary chaos.
“Removing Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor from their respective regions rearranges the regional organizational framework as set up in the ordinance (appended to the 1987 Constitution) and approved by the people. Such modification of the ordinance is a constitutional amendment that requires a plebiscite,” they added.
‘Aghast’
In a statement released after the filing of the petition, the groups said the people of Siquijor were most aghast by their inclusion in the NIR as it appeared to be a mere afterthought, particularly since it is geographical separated from Negros Island.
But Rep. Manuel Sagarbarria of Negros Oriental’s second district said Siquijor’s inclusion in the NIR was upon the representation of their congressman and governor.
“No one forced them. They wanted to join,” Sagarbarria told reporters.
The bill seeking the creation of the NIR was authored by all of the representatives of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
The establishment of NIR regional offices in Negros Occidental and Oriental has started and the new region is expected to be fully operational by 2025.
