Moro groups ask Aquino to certify Bangsamoro bill

DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Muslim civil society groups have embarked on a lobbying campaign to press President Aquino into certifying as urgent the bill that would become the basic law of the new political-territorial entity to be created in Mindanao following the signing of a peace agreement with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Duma Mascod, vice chair of the Mindanao Alliance for Peace, said the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law drawn up by a transition commission, was submitted to Aquino a few days ago but has yet to be transmitted to Congress by Malacañang.

He noted that the House of Representatives will be convening on Monday.

To put pressure on the President, Mascod said Muslim civil society groups will be staging rallies on May 4 in several places, including Cotabato City; Marawi City, Lanao del Sur; Pikit, North Cotabato; and General Santos City.

He said Muslim civil society groups are afraid that some sectors may want to delay the passage of the bill or tinker with it.

‘Bright boys’

“There are bright boys who would delay the law and want to include some changes,” he said.

Mascod said the Muslim groups do not want the draft basic law to be tinkered with and want its transmittal to Congress to be fast-tracked.

Once the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed and ratified, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be deemed dissolved.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission believes that a clean slate is essential for the new political entity to function competently.

“We would want a bureaucracy that would work for the Bangsamoro. We want a clean slate,” said Commissioner Raissa Jajurie.

Mass layoffs

This means that there will be mass layoffs as the entire ARMM government will cease to function.

Jajurie said that based on the discussions and deliberations in the transition commission, the gradual termination of government employees would be required as new offices, agencies and positions will be created which will be significantly different from the present structure.

But the layoffs will be done in such a manner that the continuity of government services will be preserved, she said.—Ayan Mellejor and Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao