Deputy Speaker and Basilan Rep. Mujiv Hataman on Tuesday, Jan. 11, called on the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to reconsider its decision to disallow hundreds of thousands of residents in North Cotabato from voting their local candidates in the upcoming elections.

Hataman said it is every Filipino's right to vote, so "we should not refuse the Moros in North Cotabato the chance to pick their leaders for their local government."

The lawmaker's appeal came after the poll body barred on Jan. 3 around 200,000 people in 63 Special Geographic Areas (SGA) in North Cotabato from voting for candidates in the local elections. They are only allowed to vote for those running in the national positions.

These 63 SGAs form part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), but have yet to be reconstituted to their respective local governments under the Bangsamoro Organic Law.

"At hanggang hindi pa sila pormal na naitatalaga sa kanilang lokal na pamahalaan sa BARMM, marapat lamang na manaig muna ang status quo at payagan silang bumoto para sa lokal na halalan sa North Cotabato. Dahil magkakaroon tayo ng sitwasyon na wala silang kinatawan sa pamahalaan (While they are not yet formally sworn in as local government officials of the BARMM, it is just right to maintain the status quo and allow them to vote for the local elections. Otherwise, they will end up not having representatives in the government),” said Hataman, who was also the former governor of the now-defunct ARMM.

"At kapag wala kang kinatawan sa pamahalaan, sino ang magsusulong ng interes mo? Sino ang lalaban para sa kapakanan mo? Sino ang titingin sa mga pangangailangan mo? (And when they don't have representatives, who will fight for their interest? Who will fight for their welfare? Who will look over them? Let us not disenfranchise 200,000 of our voters. Let us allow them to vote in May," he added.

The poll body's decision, Hataman said, does not only work to disenfranchise the voters, but also deprives them of their right to suffrage.

"Anuman ang estado mo sa buhay, lahat tayo ay pantay-pantay at iisa lang ang boto. Huwag natin itong ipagkait sa mga kababayan natin sa North Cotabato na nawalan ng karapatang bumoto sa Mayo (Regardless of our status in life, we have equal rights to vote. Let's not refuse our fellow in North Cotabato the right to vote in May)," he added.