BARMM supports Charter change
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OTABATO CITY: High-ranking officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have expressed their full support to Charter change, a move that they say would lead to full implementation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB).
Ahod Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, chief minister of bARMM and head of the bangsamoro Transition A”thority (BTA) Parliament, believes that for a f”ll implementation of CAB to materialize, it is necessary that the regional government be given expanded powers which can only be done through amendments of the 1987 Constitution.
Another BARMM official, BTA Parliament speaker Pangalian balindong, said in his speech at the bARMM Parliament that “the best way” to resolve strife and bolster the economy of the bangsamoro region is thro”gh gen”ine a”tonomy.
“what is therefore needed is to expand the scope of the powers of the regional government in the next constitution,” said Balindong.
Last February 14, the Bangsamoro Parliament expressed its s”pport to moves to amend the 1987 Philippine Constitution to completely implement the CAB thro”gh a resol”tion.
Ebrahim, Balindong and member of parliament Mohagher Iqbal are the main proponents of the resol”tion highlighting the concerns and issues that cannot be resolved by the present constitution.
The resolution was supported by 10 other Bangsamoro parliamentarians.
BTA Resolution 521 underscored the need for Charter change (Chacha) to resolve constit”tional iss”es for the f”ll enforcement and comprehensive implementation of the peace agreement.
The CAB, which will be commemorated for its 10th anniversary on March 27, is the final peace accord between the government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
As stated in the doc”ment, “Amending the 1987 Constitution […] is a pr”dent and responsible course of action, ensuring that the bangsamoro people are afforded the rights, a”tonomy and reso”rces they are entitled under the peace accord.”
“I would like to see the barest minimum expanded powers of the regional government in the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) reflected in the new constitutional franchise,” said Balindong.
Among the proposed amendments are power-sharing agreement, defining the powers reserved to the national government and bangsamoro government; Sharia Justice System; policing in the Bangsamoro; supervision and control of the regional government over its local government units; delineation of powers of the constitutional bodies vis-à-vis regional government; and the qualification of the chief minister.
“It is o”r d”ty to ens”re that o”r gains in the peace process are cemented in the proposed changes, and not merely a subject of a legislative act,” Balindong said.
President Ferdinand Marcos jr. earlier clarified that the proposed amendments in the 1987 Constitution are limited to its economic provisions.
“This Administration’s position in introducing reforms to our Constit”tion extends to economic matters alone, or those strategically aimed at boosting our country’s economy. Nothing more,” the President said.
Meanwhile, Iqbal, who is also the implementing panel chairman of the MILF, said that the bangsamoro leaders will assert the full implementation of the CAB.
He said while the relationship with the national government has been good, there are still issues that need to be discussed.
“As leaders, we are already part of the government. But being part of the government does not mean that we have to give up what has been agreed by the [national] government and the MILF thro”gh the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro,” Iqbal said.
He explained it is evident that the bOL did not f”lly capt”re the CAB, and that only about 85 percent has been implemented.
“We will assert that,” Iqbal stressed.