Angara defends constitutionality of Bangsamoro Organic Law
Sen. Sonny Angara (File photo by NOY MORCOSO / INQUIRER.net)
Sen. Sonny Angara on Wednesday night defended the constitutionally of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) that was earlier approved by the bicameral conference committee.
“Ito ang natatanging hakbang para sa wakas ay magkaroon na ng katuparan ang layunin nating maresolba ang mga ‘di pagkakaunawaan nang sa gayon ay umusad ang kapayapaan at kaunlaran sa Bangsamoro region,” Angara said in a statement.
[This is the only step so that will allow us to achieve the goal of resolving misunderstandings so that there will be peace and development in the Bangsamoro region.]
The bicameral conference committee concluded its six-day debates and approved the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which was then renamed as the Bangsamoro Organic Law for the Bangsamoro in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The senator expressed hope that the people in Mindanao would finally enjoy peace and progress once the measure had been signed into law.
“Umaasa po tayo na sa sandaling mapagtibay ang panukalang ito ay masasaksihan na natin at mararamdaman na ng mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao ang tunay na kapayapaan at pag-unlad sa kanilang rehiyon na ilang dekada nang binabalot ng sigalot,” he said.
[We are hoping that once we have strengthened this measure we will witness how our countrymen in Mindanao will feel true peace and development in their region, which has been in conflict for decades.]
Meanwhile, Sen. Joel Villanueva hailed the approval of the BOL, commending his fellow lawmakers in both chambers of Congress and the Bangsamoro Transition Committee (BTC) for their hard work.
“We also express our gratitude to the bicam panel for adopting the provisions we have forwarded such as the full inclusion of the indigenous people’s rights to ensure that their ethnic identity and rights will be retained and respected, and the provision for the full guarantee and exposition of religious belief and creed in the Bangsamoro territory regardless of denomination, membership or affiliation,” he said in a statement.
“We hope that this can be the start of a peaceful and progressive future for the Bangsamoro, the people of Mindanao and the Philippines as a whole,” he added. /atm
