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Manila: The Supreme Court has declared that the proposed expansion of a land area for Filipino Muslims in the southern Philippines, which was supposed to be signed by negotiators of the Philippine government and a separatist Muslim group was unconstitutional, radio and TV reports said.
The Apex Court voted 8-7 against the proposed Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain which was supposed to be signed by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Malaysia on August 5.
It was in response to several Christian local government officials in Mindanao led by Vice-Governor Emmanuel Piñol of North Cotabato, who complained that there was no disclosure and public consultation on the proposed deal prior to its proposed signing in Malaysia.
Last August 5, the Supreme Court had issued a temporary restraining order to those who were to sign the agreement, in response to Pinol's complaints. With the High Tribunal's ruling, observers assessed that President Gloria Arroyo has lost the heart of her proposed political settlement with the MILF.
However, pro-administration lawmakers argued that the proposed signing of the agreement would have paved the way for the amendment of an existing law that has already allowed autonomy by referendum since 1987.
Vote on deal
In the proposed government-MILF land deal, both camps said they will allow 713 Muslim-dominated villages to vote for or against their inclusion to the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
ARMM is currently composed of five provinces and one city in Mindanao. ARMM was created by a referendum for autonomy in 1987.
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