THE Supreme Court has declared as ?closed and terminated? the petition of civic groups from Quezon to nullify Republic Act 9495 that seeks to split the province into Quezon del Norte and Quezon del Sur.

In a resolution, the SC granted the motion of the petitioners? lawyers Frumencio Pulgar, Juan Fredo Sumilang, and Hobart Devesa Dator of the Save Quezon Province Movement (SQPM)?to withdraw their petition.

The decision to withdraw their petition came after a plebiscite held last December 2008 showed that majority of the people in the province are opposed to its division into two distinct provinces.

Earlier, the high tribunal struck a middle ground between those supporting and those against the law with its decision allowing the poll body to conduct the plebiscite on Dec. 13, but restraining it from proclaiming the results of the referendum.

RA 9495 calls for the creation of Quezon del Sur to be composed of the municipalities of Agdangan, Buenavista, Catanauan, General Luna, Macalelon, Mulanay, Padre Burgos, Pitogo, San Andres, San Francisco, San Narciso, Unisan, Alabat, Atimonan, Calauag, Guinayangan, Gumaca, Lopez, Perez, Plaridel, Quezon and Tagkawayan,

Under this legislation, the remaining portions of the mother province of Quezon will be known as Quezon del Norte which shall be composed of the municipalities of Burdeos, General Nakar, Infanta, Jomalig, Lucban, Mauban, Pagbilao, Panulukan, Patnanungan, Polilio, Real, Sampaloc, Candelaria, Dolores, San Antonio, Sariaya, Tiaong and the cities of Lucena and Tayabas. Rey E. Requejo