The Supreme Court has ordered the Solicitor General to submit a comment to the petition filed by six residents of Negros Oriental and Siquijor questioning the law creating the new administrative region.
The High Court, in a post on its official Facebook page and website, said the petition is "challenging the validity of Republic Act No. 12000, which creates the Negros Island Region composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental including Bacolod City, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor."
"The Court required the respondents to file their comment to the petition and prayer for temporary restraining order within a non-extendible period of 10 days from notice," a briefer from the SC said.
The petition was filed by the Barug Negros Oriental and Siquijor, represented by Fr. Hendrix Alar, Dr. Maria Lina Eparwa, Engineer Wilfredo Magallano, and lawyer Marcelino Maxino; and Tingog Siquijodnon, represented by lawyers Jose Imaculado Palmitos and Grace Sumalpong.
They 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 RA 12000, which was signed by President Marcos on June 13, “was never submitted to the people through a plebiscite as constitutionally required, neither was there any public consultation.”
The petition was filed two months after the NIR Act was signed into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on June 13.
The NIR is composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental (including Bacolod City), Negros Oriental, and Siquijor. (TDE)