Senators vow passage of BBL

COTABATO CITY – The four senators who presided over the public hearing on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) here Thursday gave assurance that they would see through its enactment within the year.

Leaders of Moro, lumad and Christian sectors took turns telling Senators Miguel Zubiri, JV Ejercito, Rissa Hontiveros and Sonny Angara during the event of their wish for the unimpeded passage of the proposed law.

Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Mujiv Hataman said the passage of the BBL will prevent conflicts like what had happened in Marawi City.

“Let us not give the terrorists an opportunity to create a narrative that we are not true to our promises,” Hataman said.

Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu expressed his full support to the bill for the future generation and for the unity of Muslims, Christians and lumads.

“If we (politicians) are a hindrance to the passage of the bill, then I’m willing to step down,” he said.

The draft BBL, crafted jointly by representatives of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the national government, is premised on two compacts reached by both sides after 17 years of talks – the 2013 Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro and, subsequently, the 2014 Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro.

The MILF’s figurehead, Hadji Murad Ebrahim, told the senators he is worried that public frustration over nonpassage of the BBL before 2019 will boost the expansion of Islamic State-inspired armed groups in the south.

He said militants could capitalize on sentiments of frustrated Mindanao residents supporting the BBL to foment animosity to the government and lure recruits into their ranks.

Zubiri said he recognizes the aspiration of the Moro people for peace and development through self-governance.

He said he is optimistic on the approval of the draft BBL without hitches.

“We need a long term political solution achievable only with a new political landscape,” Zubiri said.