Peace panels to accept BBL changes

Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines—Government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer has said in interviews that the peace panels are willing to accept amendments Congress could make to the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

But a source from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) told the Inquirer that the “BBL must be passed with no major revisions.”

The source said it would be difficult to accept a watered-down law that would defeat the purpose of attaining self-determination long aspired for by the Moro people.

“There are certain dynamics [in the peace process] that Congress is not able to comprehend. The government panel and the Opapp (Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process) should explain these and not the MILF,” the source said, requesting anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the media.

The source did not agree with lawmakers, saying that the agreements forged in the peace process were not binding in Congress and in the judiciary.

“It’s not a valid statement because agreements are negotiated by the executive who has the authority to inform the other two coequal branches of government,” the source said.

The International Monitoring Team (IMT) said the government and the MILF would need to do more confidence-building measures to regain the public’s trust. Nikko Dizon in Manila, with a report from Jeoffrey Maitem, Inquirer Mindanao

RELATED STORIES

Changes in BBL would not be arbitrary, says Marcos

‘BBL’ means Bangsamoro Bike for Love