MANILA, Philippines (August 17) — Cagayan De Oro Representative Rufus Rodriguez, Chairman of the 75-member house Ad-Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), reiterated that the deletions of said provisions are necessary to make the bill constitutionally compliant.
Rodriguez also added that if these provisions are restored, the bill may not be able to pass the Supreme Court’s constitutional scrutiny.
Rodriguez also warned that restoring the deleted or amended provisions could erode support for the bbl in the chamber as many lawmakers, who had been strongly opposing the measure, have agreed to back the bill because of the changes.
Congressman Rodriguez and other leaders of the chamber met last week with Mohaquer Iqbal, who is both chairman of the BTC and Chief Negotiator for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
Rodriguez said they impressed upon Iqbal and the other BTC members that they wanted to pass a BBL acceptable not only to the house and the senate but also to the Supreme Court.
Among the controversial provisions the BTC wants restored are certain powers supposedly exclusive to the national government; allowing contiguous areas to join the Bangsamoro region upon the petition of 10 percent of its residents; making internal security a concurrent power with the Bangsamoro government; and creating a separate Bangsamoro military command.
Iqbal said, the BTC stands firm that the proposed BBL in its original form is the most appropriate version based on the framework agreement on the Bangsamoro and comprehensive agreement on the Bangsamoro , and considering that it is the one that underwent the legitimate process of consultation with the people and engagement with the office of the president”.
