MANILA, Oct. 8 — The Government of the Philippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiating panels, together with House of Representatives members who have taken active roles in the bill’s legislative process, held a press conference yesterday to shed light on the status of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) amidst recent uncertainties and continuing delays.
“We have communicated to our representatives at the House the urgency of apprising the public especially the Bangsamoro people who have been waiting with bated breath for the realization of their aspiration for genuine autonomy,” said GPH Chief Peace Negotiator Professor Miriam Coronel-Ferrer.
“The Bangsamoro want and need the BBL. Let us not drive them to hopelessness by continuously delaying the process and keeping them in the dark of the bill’s status. We don’t want them, or any segment of the Filipino people, losing trust in our government institutions,” she added.
The BBL is the legal iteration of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) which in turn is a product of more than 18 years of negotiations between the government and the MILF. When passed, the BBL will establish a parliamentary autonomous government that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
“We have explained that this dialogue needs to happen before Congress goes into recess because, aside from the on-going budget hearings at both Houses, the election season has slowly begun gripping the country,” Ferrer said further.
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the period for the filing of candidacies from the position of President down to municipal councilors on October 12-16.
Despite this, the Philippine chief peace negotiator explained that politicians who are running for posts in the 2016 elections need not worry about their popularity rating when championing the BBL.
“Recent surveys point to inflation, poverty, and corruption as the most critical issues for voters.The BBL, and even the peace process in general, should be seen for what it is: a tool to bring socio-economic and political justice in the Bangsamoro,” she continued. “It enjoys the support of key sectors like the church, youth, business, academe as well as the international community,” Ferrer said.
Maguindanao and Cotabato City 1st District Representative Bai Sandra Sema and Anak Mindanao Party-list Representative Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman joined the press conference. The two serve as House Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL Vice Chair and member, respectively.
After President Benigno S. Aquino III officially transmitted to Congress the original BBL draft last 10 September 2014, it was shepherded in the House by a 75-member ad hoc committee chaired by Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and in the Senate by Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s committee on local government. Following numerous public hearings across the country, the two committees came up with their respective substitute BBL both called the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR) which are the versions being deliberated at the House and Senate plenary.
Statements of support from the Catholic Education Association of the Philippines (CEAP) and the Ateneo University system have been published in major newspapers this week and more are expected to be published, including statements from the business sector. This is not counting the numerous other positive statements which came out in the previous weeks and months.
“Together with the OPAPP (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process) and the BTC (Bangsamoro Transition Commission), we at the GPH panel worked hard. I cannot stress enough the importance of passing the BBL as soon as possible,” Ferrer added.
Both Houses of Congress are set to go into recess this week and will resume their respective sessions on 3 November 2015. Addressing the possibility of encountering more quorum problems as election season kicks into higher gear, Ferrer stressed that “while we understand that everyone is gearing up for the elections, that is not reason to not come back to work in November to finish all the important pending legislation.”
Both Senate President Drilon and Speaker Belmonte have expressed doubt that the Bangsamoro Law could be passed before Congress goes on recess on October 9 and have set a new deadline for its passage to December 16 this year. Yesterday, news reports quoted Drilon saying that they are having a hard time constituting a quorum due to the election season. One Senator is a presidential candidate, five are vice-presidential candidates and 6 are re-electionists.
Despite this pronouncement, Ferrer is still hopeful that there is enough time to beat the said deadline by a month. “Why pass it in December if we can do it this November? After all, with the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Conference) here, the world will once again be watching the Philippines and it will be good for the whole country to have a BBL before then.”
“Leaders around the Asia Pacific would want assurances that the Philippines is peaceful, progressive, and ready for development and integration. Let us not let that international meet be a missed opportunity. It is never too late to achieve something good. As we Filipinos say, huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din,” Ferrer said. (OPAPP)