Rody vows BBL passage

President Duterte yesterday expressed confidence that Congress would pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), two months after he admitted that the measure may not hurdle constitutional challenges.

“You can (see) the sincerity of government at least during my time. Believe me because the President is a Maranao. I tell you, ‘yang BBL na ‘yan titingnan namin, lulusot ‘yan (We will see to it that BBL will be passed),” Duterte said during the inauguration of houses for residents displaced by the armed conflict in Marawi.

Last December, Duterte admitted that the BBL, which seeks to create a Bangsamoro political entity with greater autonomy, may face constitutional barriers.

“I do not think that it will hurdle constitutional – I’ve been reading it repeatedly, the constitutional barriers,” Duterte said during the signing of the 2018 budget in Malacañang last Dec 19.

“If we fail to give them that, kindly help me think of ways how to do it,” he added.

Duterte believes that a federal setup would correct the constitutional provisions that are not in line with the BBL.

The administration of former president Benigno Aquino III endorsed BBL to Congress but the measure was bypassed partly because of the Mamasapano clash in 2015 that left 44 police commandos dead.

There were also questions about the inclusion of areas that refused to be part of the new Bangsamoro political entity and the extent of its taxing powers.

Duterte has warned that failure to pass the BBL could worsen the conflict in Mindanao and strengthen extremist groups.

He also claimed that failure to address the injustices to Moros would lead to the fragmentation of the Philippines.

Deliberations on BBL opened

Meanwhile, plenary deliberations on the BBL opened yesterday after the Senate subcommittee on the BBL submitted its report on the landmark measure.

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the subcommittee, expects the passage of the BBL in the Senate on March 21, especially since the President has committed to certify the measure as urgent.

Zubiri led other senators in sponsoring Senate Bill 1717 on the floor for plenary approval, saying it was one of the rare occasions a measure enjoys strong bipartisan support.

He said the Senate now has the chance to correct the historical injustice to the Bangsamoro.