Drilon sees Bangsamoro law passed early next year

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines–Congress now sees the first quarter of 2015 as a “reasonable time” for the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) given any further delay in its submission, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Monday.

Drilon said negotiators from the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) had promised to craft the draft bill carving out a new Bangsamoro region in Southern Philippines in 10 days by last Sunday.

But the deadline expired, with the negotiators committing to complete the bill by Monday next week, Drilon said, citing news reports.

“Assuming they can come up with a final version by the end of the month, we will work double time. I think the first quarter of next year is a reasonable period within which to pass this law,” he told a press forum at the Diamond Hotel.

Both panels said Sunday they had reached an “agreement on substantial portions,” including the preamble, fiscal autonomy and inter-government relations, even as they committed to complete the draft bill by Aug. 18.

But they have to thresh out other issues in the next few days, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said.

In a press conference in Davao City, Iqbal said specific portions that remained to be resolved included issues on power sharing, wealth sharing, administration of justice, policing, and transportation and communications.

Iqbal said there was no need to worry over the delay because they had “covered a lot of ground.”

Government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer, at the end of the 10-day discussions on Sunday, asked that the panels be given “space” to fast-track the resolution of the remaining issues, which will be raised to their respective principals.

Ferrer, in the same press conference, explained that the panels would consult with their respective principals and that particular mechanisms would be observed to ensure the continuity of the process to meet the new deadline.

Holed up in a hotel in Davao City since Aug. 1, representatives of both the government and the MILF patiently worked, with several overtimes, to resolve the issues.

Malaysian facilitator Tengku Datu Abdul Ghafar Tengku bin Mohamed flew to Davao to observe the last day of discussions.

Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa was seen in the hotel while ARMM governor Mujiv Hataman also arrived at the venue. Both Iqbal and Ferrer would neither confirm nor deny that they met with Ochoa.

The MILF said both parties had been faithful to the previously signed documents, including the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the Annexes and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

Government negotiator Senen Bacani said the additional days required to finish the draft were needed to ensure that it would be smoothsailing once it reaches Congress.–With a report from Karlos Manlupig, Inquirer Mindanao