‘No need for Charter change to implement gov’t peace deal with MILF’—Enrile

Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile

MANILA, Philippines – Senate President Juan Ponce-Enrile on Tuesday said there was no need to amend the Constitution to implement the peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front since there was already a provision, authorizing the creation of Bangsamoro.

“Sa akin hindi dahil meron na tayong constitutional provision authorizing the creation of autonomous region for the cordillera and Muslim Mindanao,” Enrile told reporters, reacting amend the Constitution.

He was reacting to Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s statement that the agreement might require an amendment to the Constitution since the creation of Bangsamoro to replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be run under a ‘ministerial form” of government.

Under a “ministerial” form of government, residents will elect members of an assembly that will elect a chief minister.

But Enrile pointed out that the Bangsamoro, even if it is under a ministerial form of government, would still be under the president of the Republic of the Philippines.

“They are still under a president of the Republic of the Philippines. The only thing is that they have their own parliament and their prime minister siguro who’s acting in the place of a governor,” he said.

He acknowledged, however, a need for a new legislation, authorizing the creation of Bangsamoro in place of the ARMM.

“The provision on the ARMM and the Cordillera (was) not self-executing. They needed a legislation and we passed the legislation. So we can do the same thing here,” Enrile said.