Malacañang writes Congress to act on BBL

PRESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte directed Congress to pass the Bangsamoro bill before it adjourns in June.

In separate letters both dated April 2, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Head Adelino B. Sitoy communicated to Senate President Aquilino Martin L. Pimentel III and House Speaker Pantaleon D. Alvarez that “the President directed me to urge Congress to hasten the passage of the Bangsamoro bill so it can be ready for his signature before the next recess of Congress which will commence on June 2, 2018.

This instruction came after Mr. Duterte met with Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (PAPP) Jesus G. Dureza, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Ghazali B. Jaafar, Peace Implementing Panel chairman Mohagher M. Iqbal, and other Muslim leaders on March 27, Mr. Sitoy added.

“While I reported to the President during the aforesaid meeting the efforts exerted for its passage by the House of Representatives and the Senate, what the President desires is for the Bangsamoro bill to become a law before the aforecited recess,” Mr. Sitoy added.

The President earlier said that he aims to have a Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) agreeable to all before the year ends.

The Senate version, Senate Bill 1717 — principally sponsored by Sen. Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, chairman of the Senate sub-committee on BBL — is already at the plenary.

The Senate is mulling over the term length of the members of the proposed Bangsamoro Parliament to be consistent with the 1987 Constitution and the inclusion of an anti-dynasty provision.

Senate Majority Floor Leader Vicente C. Sotto III said he hopes to finish the interpellations when Congress resumes session. The Congress is currently on break and will resume on May 14.

Mr. Zubiri targets to have the bill pass third reading by May 23.

“[Mr. Zubiri’s timeline] would be ideal. Basta kung matapos ang (If we could finish the) interpellations when we resume (on the 14th). Within that week sana matapos ang (hopefully we can conclude the) interpellations. The week after, could be the period of amendment,” Mr. Sotto told reporters in an interview on Wednesday.

At the House of Representatives, the committee on local government, chaired by South Cotabato Rep. Pedro B. Acharon, Jr., with the committee on Muslim affairs and the special committee on peace, reconciliation, and unity headed by Tawi-Tawi Rep. Ruby M. Sahali, were in the process of finalizing the substitute bill to House Bills 92, 6121, 6263, and 6475 before Congress adjourned last March 23.

The BBL, once approved, will replace the existing Autonomous Region on Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BAR). This will repeal Republic Act (RA) 6734 or the Organic Act and RA 9054 or the expanded Organic Act, the two laws that created ARMM.