Bangsamoro Assembly to push through on Nov. 26-27

DAVAO CITY – The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) announced it will push through with the Bangsamoro Assembly from November 26 to 27 to gather the stakeholders of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The assembly was originally scheduled on November 3-4 at the Old Provincial Capitol Compound in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao province but was postponed due to what was described by BTC Chairman Ghazali Jaafar as “reasons beyond control.”

“We are encouraging the Bangsamoros, indigenous people, and Christian settlers to attend this historic event that would mark our common aspiration to have genuine peace in our homeland,” said Jaafar on Wednesday. Jaafar is also the Vice Chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF sees the passage of the BBL as one of the steps that can provide long-term solutions to violent extremism. MILF Peace Implementing Panel Chairperson Mohagher Iqbal previously said that “there is a continuing risk of youths being enticed by violent and extremist ideologies and join local ISIS-inspired groups as a result of existing global and domestic injustices.”

He said the lack of political settlement to address the clamor of the Moro people for autonomy fuels discontent among young Muslims.

The BBL aims to establish a new political entity called the Bangsamoro that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

The MILF believes the passage will pave the way for the establishment of a meaningful autonomous government that is sensitive to the needs of the Bangsamoro people.

The BBL failed to pass during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III but President Rodrigo Duterte vowed to push for the passage of BBL in Congress saying that its non-passage might cause trouble in the country.