Belmonte wants Bangsamoro law passed after Sona

Speaker Feliciano Belmonte INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—The House of Representatives is fully capable of tackling the Bangsamoro basic law while deliberating the national budget of 2015, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. vowed on Wednesday.

Belmonte made the assurance as the House leadership said it preferred that Malacanang submit the bill after the 2014 State of the Nation Address.

“It is entirely possible for us to tackle important bills while budget is being heard,” Belmonte said in a press briefing.

“The budget is a very important thing and we would like to do what we’ve succeeded on doing — have it approved with no or minimum insertions,” he added.

Belmonte also confirmed Majority Leader Neptali Gonzales II’s statement quoting him as saying that he wants Malacanang to submit the bill after the Sona.

The House leadership has received word that the Palace would submit the bill two days before the chamber takes its break next week to mark the end of their first regular session.

“I’m not certain if there’s anything to be gained by giving it to us during our final week,” Belmonte said.

The Speaker added that he wants a special ad hoc committee to tackle the Bangsamoro bill.

The committee would be headed preferably by a lawmaker from Mindanao, he said.

Congress is awaiting the draft of the Bangsamoro basic law from the Office of the President. The law, which needed Congress’ nod, would implement the recently signed Bangsamoro deal that ended the decades-long secessionist movement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The Palace said it would submit the draft bill in May but it has yet to do so.

Time is also ticking for the bill as the House of Representatives is set to go on indefinite break on June 13 to mark the end of first regular session.
The recently signed Bangsamoro deal has drawn criticisms for supposedly insulting the Constitution  because it purportedly calls for amendments to the Charter for it to be implemented.

The Palace wants Congress to pass the bill within the year.

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