Statement of Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus G. Dureza on PRRD’s meeting with MILF

PRESIDENT Duterte said he would push for the passage of the Bangsamoro Bill and will even go to the extent of resorting to an executive issuance to hasten it or if Congress itself fails to approve it.

Stressing that he can use the inherent powers of the presidency, he is ready to carve out through an executive order the area for the Bangsamoro for their self-rule.

The President met with the MILF leaders headed by Kagi Ibrahim Murad late afternoon Monday in Davao City as he reassured them that he would push for an early passage of the law for the Bangsamoro ahead of the shift to federalism.

The President said that he gave this commitment even during his presidential campaign and would continue to push for it. He stressed that the approval of the BBL should come ahead of federalism.

We also welcome the action taken by Sen. Miguel Zubiri that the BTC’s bill that the President certified would be adopted as the working draft in next week’s resumption of the senate hearings. The senator from Mindanao filed the new bill in the Senate Tuesday after he withdrew the old BBL version which the previous Congress did not pass.

We also welcome the Senator’s announcement that the senate committee that he chairs is set to hold its initial round of BBL public hearings and consultations in various areas, especially in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao to hear the opinions and sentiments of the general public.

We call on Filipinos to all help and contribute to the realization of this longawaited aspiration of the Bangsamoro.