BARMM launches legal knowledge database of local, international laws

DAVAO CITY—THE Bangsamoro government and a European Union (EU) program in the region launched Monday the database of all laws in the Bangsamoro as well as local to international laws applicable for use by local legal practitioners and “other erudite scholars in the region.”

“They will now gain better access to vital laws, primarily those concerning the Bangsamoro, following the successful launching of the region’s Legal Knowledge Database,” the Bangsamoro Information Office said.

The Bangsamoro Atty. General’s Office and the EU’S Support to Bangsamoro Transition (Subatra) launched the Legal Knowledge Database in Cotabato City, the seat of the regional autonomous government. The information office said the database “is a legal tool available both online and offline which contains a collection of legal references primarily designed to aid legal professionals and researchers in the practice of law.”

During the launching program, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Attorney General and Member of the Parliament (MP) Sha Elijah Albadumama sought the cooperation of lawyers, mainly from the BARMM’S Legal Liason Network, to support the undertaking.

“Please treat this as your own, and do not hesitate to let us know how well we can improve it in substance and maybe even aesthetically,” Dumama said.

Dumama encouraged legal professionals present in the event “to promote a culture of innovation in their profession.”

“As lawyers, we must not limit ourselves to doing legal tasks to help others. I encourage you to take an active part in innovating and evolving our work and how we do them, so that we can meaningfully contribute to the legal practice and ultimately create ripples of change and impact in society,” she said.

The database was developed with support of Subatra, which was formed in 2020 by the Bangsamoro government and the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, as one move to support the transition period of the Bangsamoro.

This program has a time span of five years with P1.5-billion fund. Subatra was intended to lay the foundation for lasting peace and development by strengthening its institutions’ democratic governance capacities during the transition period.

The information office said the Bangsamoro government has offered the database access for free, “and can be regularly updated as new content and resources become available.”

Team Leader of Subatra Bernard Jolly said the development of the database involved rigorous tasks.