President Rodrigo Duterte shakes hands with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Peace Implementing Panel Chair Mohagher Iqbal after receiving a draft of the new proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) during the turnover ceremony at the Rizal Hall in Malacañan Palace on July 17, 2017. Also in the photo are (from left) Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, and House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez. (Malacañang file photo)
MANILA, Philippines — After contradicting statements, President Rodrigo finally certified the landmark Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as urgent on Tuesday afternoon.
Before this, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque earlier said that the President may no longer certify House Bill 6475 and Senate Bill 1717 as urgent due to the stark differences between the versions of the Senate and House of Representatives.
But hours after, Roque said: “After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent and the copy of which is on its way to both houses of Congress.”
The certification means Congress does not need to wait three days before voting on the measure for final reading.
The Palace official said Duterte would sign the legislation into law once both chambers of Congress have reconciled and finalized the version at the bicameral conference committee during the break.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas said the signing would happen on July 23 in time for Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).
Fariñas said the lower house would consider BBL on second and third readings on Wednesday, May 30, the last session day before Congress adjourns sine die on June 2.
The Senate is expected to do the same.
Earlier, Duterte urged Congress to pass BBL by May 30 this year, saying the government is “racing against time” to enact the measure that could help keep peace in Mindanao amid threats of the spread of radical Islamic movement.
Amendments
In an interview after an all-member caucus on Monday, Fariñas refused to discuss the specific amendments on House Bill (HB) 6475, the Chamber’s version of BBL, but he said the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) “agreed to several of the amendments proposed.”
“We agreed that—in fairness to the BTC, they agreed naman to several of the amendments proposed. I’m working kasi on the draft presented by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission. May mga amendments, karamihan naman na-accept,” he said.
But he mentioned that the BTC agreed that the Autonomous Region of Bangsamoro (ARB) would remain concurrent with the national government, and the Bangsamoro police would still be under the Philippine National Police.
Fariñas said both camps have yet to agree on the opt-in and fiscal autonomy provisions of the BBL.
In another interview on Tuesday, a day after Congress leaders met with Duterte to discuss BBL, Fariñas said Duterte was apprehensive of many provisions under the BBL.
The House leader only mentioned in passing the provisions on the Bangsamoro police and the establishment of independent constitutional commissions.
“He (Duterte) was not willing na oh may sariling pulis and everything so we told them na payag naman yung BTC na yung kanilang police regional office sa kanilang Bangsamoro will still be like a regional office,” he said.
Fariñas also dismissed concerns that the BBL would be unconstituional because it seeks to abolish the existing Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which is stated in the 1987 Constitution.
“Iaabolish na ng BBL yung ARMM. Another option would be to wait for the con-ass (constituent assembly) (to revise the Constitution) but dito na kami sa BBL,” he said. (davaotoday.com)
