Bayan Muna: Aquino has numbers in House to pass Bangsamoro law

Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law would depend on “numbers,” which the Aquino administration might be able to muster.

“If the majority wants to pass BBL by November, tapos yan (that will be finished),” he said over a local radio station here on Monday.

Colmenares said while the discussions have been expected to be lengthy due to the scope of the document, numbers would still play an important role in the passage of the draft law.

President Benigno Aquino III has certified the draft BBL law as priority and this early, his allies have manifested support for it.

Bayan Muna Representative Carlos Zarate said the House of Representatives has remained to be dominated by Aquino allies.

He pointed out that in the ad hoc committee created by Congress for example, only five members came from the minority bloc, including himself and Colmenares.

“The rest are from the majority bloc,” Zarate said.

Colmenares said the ad hoc committee would convene on September 24 to set organizational policies in tackling the draft BBL.

Amid other major issues that Congress should tackle, including the 2015 budget and the Freedom of Information Bill, the draft BBL might also be discussed even during the House recess until September 26 upon the approval of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, lawmakers said.

Colmenares said he wished that the deliberations on the draft BBL would be genuine and not railroaded “to ensure lasting peace in Mindanao.”

“Whether it will be approved this year or next year what is important is there should be a genuine deliberation and all sides are represented in the deliberations,” he said.

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