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ARTICLE II
THE AUTONOMOUS REGION
Area and Seat of Government
SECTION 1. Expanded Autonomous Region. – (1) The
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao which, under the
provisions of Republic Act No. 6734, the Organic Act for the
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, is composed of the four
provinces of Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi,
is hereby expanded to include the provinces and cities, enumerated
hereunder, which vote favorably to be included in the expanded
area of the autonomous region and for other purposes, in a
plebiscite called for that purpose in accordance with Section 18,
Article X of the Constitution.
The new area of autonomy shall then be determined by the
provinces and cities that will vote/choose to join the said autonomy.
It is understood that Congress may by law which shall be
consistent with the Constitution and in accordance with the
provisions of Republic Act No. 7160, the Local Government Code
of 1991, provide that clusters of contiguous-Muslim-dominated
municipalities voting in favor of autonomy be merged and
constituted into a new province(s) which shall become part of the
new Autonomous Region.
(2) Plebiscite Coverage. The plebiscite shall be conducted
in the provinces of Basilan, Cotabato, Davao del Sur, Lanao del
Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, Palawan, Sarangani, South
Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del
Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and the newly created Province of
Zamboanga Sibugay, and (b) in the cities of Cotabato, Dapitan,
Dipolog, General Santos, Iligan, Kidapawan, Marawi, Pagadian,
Puerto Princesa, Digos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Zamboanga.
(a) PLEBISCITE QUESTION FOR VOTERS OF THE
FOUR ORIGINAL PROVINCES OF THE AUTONOMOUS
REGION. For the voters of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao
del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi which are already members of the
autonomous region under the provisions of Republic Act No. 6734,
the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao,
the question to be asked in the plebiscite of the voters therein