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Palace appeals to lawmakers: Don’t dilute Bangsamoro law
By ANDREO CALONZO, GMA News
(Updated 5:24 p.m.) Read the draft law, and don’t dilute the final version.
This was Malacañang’s appeal to lawmakers on Tuesday regarding the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which faces skepticism in Congress following the deadly January 25 Mamasapano clash.
During a press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Benigno Aquino III wants the final version of the BBL to keep the substance of agreements entered into by the Philippine government and the MILF.
“Ang sinasabi lang naman ng Pangulo, intindihin naman natin ang buong sustansya ng ating ihinahain na BBL. Ang kanyang panawagan lang naman sa mga mambabatas is don’t dilute,” Coloma told reporters.
“Don’t dilute to such an extent na para bang nawala na iyong sustansya noong CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) at FAB (Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro),” he added.
Coloma also challenged those expressing skepticism and opposition to the BBL to read the entirety of the draft law first.
“Atin ding tanungin: ‘yun bang mga nagpapahayag niyan, nabasa na ba ang batas? Ang pagbabatayan naman ng batas ay iyong nakahain sa Kongreso,” he said.
Coloma nevertheless said that the Palace will respect any amendment that will be introduced by Congress to the draft BBL.
“Hindi naman makatwiran na sabihin na hindi pwedeng mag-introduce ng amyenda dahil inherent part ng legislative part ng legislative process iyon,” he said.
Coloma’s statement was similar to the appeal of MILF chairman Al Haj Murad to Congress last December.
In a letter to the House of Representatives, Murad urged lawmakers to “pass the mutually agreed BBL draft with no changes and without diminishing, diluting or watering down its provisions, except probably for minor changes.”
Mamasapano operation
The BBL will embody the peace deal signed by the Philippine government and the MILF last year. The law seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The draft legislation also stipulates wealth- and power-sharing arrangements between the national government and the proposed Bangsamoro political entity.
Congressional deliberations on the BBL were halted after the Mamasapano incident, which left 44 police commandos, 18 MILF fighters and at least five civilians dead.
Leaders of both the House of Representatives and Senate, which are both dominated by Aquino’s allies, however, committed on Monday to approve the BBL in June.
Aquino earlier met with House leaders in Malacañang to push for the passage of the BBL, and to explain to them what happened during the Mamasapano incident.
During the EDSA rites last week, Aquino enjoined the public to support the BBL’s passage, saying his administration already has a “golden opportunity" to change the course of Muslim Mindanao.
Enough time, support
Coloma, likewise, expressed confidence that Congress will have enough time to pass the BBL, despite delays in the measure’s deliberations.
“Kung titingnan natin meron ng sapat na panahon para talakayin 'yung Bangsamoro Basic Law doon sa House of Representatives… Ayon sa pahayag ni Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, ang tagapangulo ng ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, meron saying kumpiyansa na maipapasa nila ito sa committee level even within the March session,” he said.
He further expressed optimism that the draft BBL will gather enough support from lawmakers for it to be passed into law.
"Ang aming pinagbabatayan ay ‘yung commitment ng liderato ng magkabilang Kamara at sa aming pagtaya, karamihan naman sa ating mga mambabatas ay nananalig at naninindigan para sa kapayapaan,” Coloma said.
"Nauunawaan lang natin na nagkaroon ng agam-agam at pagdududa dahil nga sa mga naging kaganapan sa Mamasapano. Pero habang nagkaroon na ng kaliwanagan hinggil dito at habang nauunawaan din ng ating mga lider ‘yung kahalagahan ng prosesong pangkapayapaan, tumitibay ‘yung kumpiyansa na marami sa kanila ang maninindigan din para sa kapayapaan,” he added. —KBK, GMA News
This was Malacañang’s appeal to lawmakers on Tuesday regarding the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which faces skepticism in Congress following the deadly January 25 Mamasapano clash.
During a press briefing, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said President Benigno Aquino III wants the final version of the BBL to keep the substance of agreements entered into by the Philippine government and the MILF.
“Ang sinasabi lang naman ng Pangulo, intindihin naman natin ang buong sustansya ng ating ihinahain na BBL. Ang kanyang panawagan lang naman sa mga mambabatas is don’t dilute,” Coloma told reporters.
“Don’t dilute to such an extent na para bang nawala na iyong sustansya noong CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro) at FAB (Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro),” he added.
Coloma also challenged those expressing skepticism and opposition to the BBL to read the entirety of the draft law first.
“Atin ding tanungin: ‘yun bang mga nagpapahayag niyan, nabasa na ba ang batas? Ang pagbabatayan naman ng batas ay iyong nakahain sa Kongreso,” he said.
Coloma nevertheless said that the Palace will respect any amendment that will be introduced by Congress to the draft BBL.
“Hindi naman makatwiran na sabihin na hindi pwedeng mag-introduce ng amyenda dahil inherent part ng legislative part ng legislative process iyon,” he said.
Coloma’s statement was similar to the appeal of MILF chairman Al Haj Murad to Congress last December.
In a letter to the House of Representatives, Murad urged lawmakers to “pass the mutually agreed BBL draft with no changes and without diminishing, diluting or watering down its provisions, except probably for minor changes.”
Mamasapano operation
The BBL will embody the peace deal signed by the Philippine government and the MILF last year. The law seeks to create a new Bangsamoro political entity to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
The draft legislation also stipulates wealth- and power-sharing arrangements between the national government and the proposed Bangsamoro political entity.
Congressional deliberations on the BBL were halted after the Mamasapano incident, which left 44 police commandos, 18 MILF fighters and at least five civilians dead.
Leaders of both the House of Representatives and Senate, which are both dominated by Aquino’s allies, however, committed on Monday to approve the BBL in June.
Aquino earlier met with House leaders in Malacañang to push for the passage of the BBL, and to explain to them what happened during the Mamasapano incident.
During the EDSA rites last week, Aquino enjoined the public to support the BBL’s passage, saying his administration already has a “golden opportunity" to change the course of Muslim Mindanao.
Enough time, support
Coloma, likewise, expressed confidence that Congress will have enough time to pass the BBL, despite delays in the measure’s deliberations.
“Kung titingnan natin meron ng sapat na panahon para talakayin 'yung Bangsamoro Basic Law doon sa House of Representatives… Ayon sa pahayag ni Congressman Rufus Rodriguez, ang tagapangulo ng ad hoc committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law, meron saying kumpiyansa na maipapasa nila ito sa committee level even within the March session,” he said.
He further expressed optimism that the draft BBL will gather enough support from lawmakers for it to be passed into law.
"Ang aming pinagbabatayan ay ‘yung commitment ng liderato ng magkabilang Kamara at sa aming pagtaya, karamihan naman sa ating mga mambabatas ay nananalig at naninindigan para sa kapayapaan,” Coloma said.
"Nauunawaan lang natin na nagkaroon ng agam-agam at pagdududa dahil nga sa mga naging kaganapan sa Mamasapano. Pero habang nagkaroon na ng kaliwanagan hinggil dito at habang nauunawaan din ng ating mga lider ‘yung kahalagahan ng prosesong pangkapayapaan, tumitibay ‘yung kumpiyansa na marami sa kanila ang maninindigan din para sa kapayapaan,” he added. —KBK, GMA News
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