Malacañang has expressed its gratitude to the Peace Council for reviewing the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), and has called on lawmakers to give the Council’s report “due attention and consideration,” as they continue their deliberations on the draft law.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. thanked the Peace Council for “judiciously reviewing” the BBL and for consulting other stakeholders, such as Filipino Christians, Muslims, indigenous peoples, religious leaders, civil society representatives, deans of law schools, businessmen, and the framers of the 1987 Constitution.
“We note that they have prepared a comprehensive report to the Filipino people, embodying their detailed comments and recommendations, and have submitted this to Congress and to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process,” he said.
Secretary Coloma further said the administration supports the Council’s observation that the BBL is “overwhelmingly acceptable and deserves the support of all Filipinos.”
“We note further the comment that ‘the BBL should be passed, that to set it aside now would be imprudent and wasteful of previous efforts.’ We trust that our lawmakers will give due attention and consideration to the Peace Council’s report in their continuing deliberations on the BBL,” he added.
Asked to comment on the further delay in the BBL’s passage should legislators discuss provisions, which according to the Peace Council need refinement, Coloma said Senate President Franklin Drilon and House of Representatives Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. have already promised to do everything they could to pass the proposal before Congress goes on a break on June 11.
“At mainam na bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataon na patunayan ang kanilang paninindigan dahil sila naman ay mayroong pananagutan sa mga mamamayang Pilipino. Respetuhin po natin ang kanilang mga proseso at bigyan po natin sila ng laya at pagkakataon hinggil sa bagay na ito,” he said.
In a speech delivered last March 7 during the anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, President Benigno S. Aquino III announced the formation of the Peace Council, which was tasked to dissect the BBL “in a calm and reasonable manner that will not incite anger and hopelessness.”
The President expected the Peace Council to write a report that will be made public, so that every Filipino would understand the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the peace initiatives in Mindanao. PND (as)