BBL aims to end poverty, conflict

As attacks on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) continue, Malacañang has renewed its defense of the measure, calling it a “holistic approach” to end poverty and conflict in Mindanao.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte made a new pitch for the BBL while downplaying “new cases of violence” raised in a report by an international group.

It was Sen. Francis Escudero who called the administration’s attention to the report “Rebellion, Political Violence and Shadow Crimes in the Bangsamoro: The Bangsamoro Conflict Monitoring System (BCMS) 2011-2013” prepared by the International Alert. In an interview over radio

dzRB, Valte said the report was published in August 2014 and did not cover the draft BBL submitted by President Aquino to Congress in September of the

same year.

Valte said the root causes of poverty must be addressed, as poor areas had always been the breeding ground for recruits for the armed groups.

She said the government launched the Sajahatra Bangsamoro to ensure that the needs of people in Mindanao were being addressed, not just in terms of funding.

“We believe that the services of government must trickle down to the people in these areas, regardless of affiliation. So, you know, it’s really addressing the root causes of poverty that will help us move forward, and we believe that giving these areas a different structure, in the sense that they are going to have genuine autonomy and not just... on paper,” Valte said, adding the system in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao must be fixed as it had been politicized for a long time.

Valte said the International Alert study was partly funded by World Bank and that according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, the organization had been a long time partner in peace advocacy of the Philippines and is a member of the International Contact Group.

“But one notable part of the report is that it has very interesting data on the conflict in areas of Mindanao, such that it identifies new causes of violence and not just the old roots of conflict in Mindanao,” Valte said.

“So at least the data is very useful for our peace process policymakers, such that they can see the data needed to craft laws... But another point that we wish to make is that the report itself says – and I quote – ‘ without a doubt, ending the conflict as a major source of rebellion- related violence retires a significant source of political violence with huge costs in terms of death, injury and displacement, and will impact positively on the prospects of peace and stability across the Bangsamoro.’ Those are the pertinent parts of the report,” she said.

The report said immediate steps should also be taken to address the violence emanating from new threat groups such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and private armed groups and organized crime groups.

Organized crime groups, it stated, were becoming more active in the region.

The transitional authority and the new political entity in the Bangsamoro would have to mitigate the risk of these groups disrupting the transition process, it said.

“Remember that the peace between ( the government) and MILF means peace with the largest and most organized armed group, which has been fighting the government for decades,” Valte said.

“So to end this armed conflict means that this organized armed body ceases to fight with government and instead becomes a partner in addressing the problems that are facing the country, and of course, which include problems of lawlessness. So it enables the effective exercise of the rule of law over areas previously outside the reach of government and in... as some quarters would say, ‘ ungovernable’ areas,” she added.

Valte said groups wanting to talk peace must be distinguished from lawless elements with selfish motives.

The passage of the proposed BBL was put in peril by the Jan. 25 Mamasapano incident where 44 members of the Philippine National Police- Special Action Force were killed in clashes with MILF and BIFF guerrillas.

Prayer for enlightenment

Former local government secretary Rafael Alunan, meanwhile, led some 50 others in Rizal Park yesterday in a prayer for enlightenment for officials on pressing issues like the BBL, the Sabah claim and China’s West Philippine Sea encroachment.

“We have very broad national issues on the table. We have the West Philippine Sea, the BBL and Sabah and the way we see it, we are losing our territory piece by piece,” Alunan told The STAR.

“If we do not watch it, if we are not prudent, circumspect, if we are not matino (upright) and

mahusay ( efficient) in doing things the right way, we might end up losing our country,” he said.

“So we are praying for enlightenment and guidance not only for our government but also for society because we seem to be in disarray, there is a lot of disunity,” he added.

He dismissed the low turnout, saying many have declared solidarity with them. Alunan likened the country to a ship that has run aground.

“We are all passengers and we are all trying to tell the captain and the crew we are headed the wrong way, and so we are frustrated that the captain and the crew are not listening, so we are here to find out what else can we do to make ourselves heard. We are all on the same ship and we do not want to get shipwrecked,” he said.

He said they prayed that the nation’s leaders “perform their duties and responsibilities as protectors of the state and the people to uphold the Constitution.” He said officials appear to be not doing enough to hold the country together.

“They have to enforce the laws and they have to uphold the nation’s integrity and dignity and that starts with defending our territorial integrity,” he said.

But he clarified that he is not in favor of President Aquino stepping down. He said that it is better to utilize the democratic systems and institutions in finding solutions to the country’s problems.

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala – one of the convenors of the National Peace Council – for his part said they would make sure the body remains independent in tackling contentious issues in the peace process with Muslim rebels, including disagreements over the BBL.

Zobel made the assurance during the first meeting of the council held at Intercontinental Hotel last Tuesday.

He said the council would try to help the people understand what is at stake in the approval or rejection of the BBL.

He said the council acknowledges the daunting challenges facing the country in its pursuit of peace. Also being addressed are historical prejudices and biases.

The other convenors are former ambassador Howard Dee, former Supreme Court chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., Muslim youth and civic leader Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman. Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle was not able to attend the meeting and was represented by Bishop Pablo Virgilio David.

Also at the meeting was former Constitutional Assembly delegate Wilfrido Villacorta. –