The Supreme Court (SC) has granted a petition to appoint a provincial treasurer for the province of Maguindanao del Norte.
This followed the passage of Republic Act No. 11550, which separated Maguindanao into two distinct and independent provinces known as Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.
The SC Second Division directed the regional office of the Bureau of Local Government Finance to process the appointment of Badorie Alonzo or any other competent individual identified by the province in an 18-page judgment issued on June 26.
"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 high court said.
"Prompt action by the Court is thus necessary and exigent in this situation," it also said in its decision.
The case arose from Acting Governor Fatima Ainee Sinsuat's petition for mandamus.
According to RA 11550, both provinces will have corporate and general rights, including the ability to develop their own sources of revenue and collect taxes, fees, and charges, among other things.
