105,000 say yes to DavOccidental
Kagan lass bags Sigay ng Pakaradjan
DAVAO DEL SUR – A new province in Southern Mindanao has born and will be added as the fifth province in Davao region after the people of this province casted a whopping 105,000 “Yes” votes for Davao Occidental during Monday’s plebiscite simultaneous with the barangay elections, as of today’s count.
Atty. Maria Febes Barlaan, provincial election supervisor said only few voted ‘No’ during the plebiscite but refused to tell the exact figure yet due to ongoing provincial canvass.
Barlaan said they are waiting election returns from the remaining four municipalities before they can proclaim Davao Occidental won in the plebiscite.
As of today, 105,000 votes have been counted for ‘Yes’ while ‘No’ has gained more than 39,000 votes.
Due to this, the second district of Davao del Sur will now belong to Davao Occidental.
Earlier, some politicians and rival enemies of the Bautista clan expressed strong opposition and dismay towards President Benigno Aquino III after he signed RA 10360 into law on January, creating the plebiscite.
Former first district Rep. Marc Cagas IV also displayed tarpaulins along national highways of the province and asked the people to vote for ‘No’ but failed to get sympathy of the majority.
Political leaders headed by town mayors and the city mayor of Digos supported the plebiscite, including the former Cagas allies, Bansalan Mayor Edwin Reyes, Matanao Mayor Butch Fernandez, Sta. Cruz Mayor Joel Ray Lopez, Magsaysay Mayor Arthur Davin and Hagonoy Mayor Franco Calida.
The Cagas clan doubts that the Bautistas will hold any positions for Davao Occidental and even Davao del Sur which is now in the hand of Governor Claude Bautista.
Bautis t a said t hey wanted a fast-track development for the second district that’s why the new province was created.
“The former congressman of the first district had passed a bill for this creation but right now we don’t know why he was expressing his strong opposition,” Bautista said.
The newly-born province of Davao Occidental will be comprised of the municipalities of Sta. Maria, Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos and Sarangani.
Meanwhile, former second district towns of Kiblawan, Malalag and Sulop decided to be part of Davao del Sur, together with the municipalities of Padada, Hagonoy, Sta. Cruz, Magsaysay, Matanao, Bansalan and Digos City.
Both provinces have one congressional district but rumors say that Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental will be divided into districts for the 2016 national and local elections. Orlando B. Dinoy/Inquirer Mindanao