‘BBL coordinating system may hamper security operations in Bangsamoro’

Instead of ensuring peace in Mindanao, the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) may in fact hamper operations to ensure public order and safety in the newly created substate because of the stringent coordination mechanisms between the national and Moro governments, solons in the House of Representatives have said.

During the Bangsamoro ad hoc committee hearing on Thursday, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez raised their concerns on the implications of an intergovernmental relations mechanism which the bill required in the coordination between the central government and the Bangsamoro government.

The bill calls for the creation of an intergovernmental relations body, to be headed by a representative of the central government. Meanwhile, the Bangsamoro government will have a minister in the body.

According to the bill, the central and Bangsamoro governments shall cooperate and coordinate through the said body over matters of public order and safety within the Bangsamoro region.

“All disputes and issues relating to these intergovernmental relations shall be resolved through regular consultations and continuing negotiations in a nonadversarial manner,” the bill said.

It also said that the Bangsamoro government had primary responsibility over public order and safety matters, which the solons hit as being unconstitutional because only the national government exercised this control through the Philippine National Police (PNP).

‘Stumbling block’

Rodriguez, chair of the ad hoc Bangsamoro committee, said the intergovernmental mechanism may be a “stumbling block” to peace because the PNP, tasked to ensure public order and safety in the region, would have to go through it.

He said the police may be hampered in deploying cops immediately to go after private armed groups because they would have to consult with both the central and Moro governments first.

“(The body) puts up a stumbling block to the peace and order because there will be an intergovernmental relations mechanism. Public order and safety requires immediate action … We cannot therefore delay actions especially on national security,” Rodriguez said.

Alejano also warned of a situation when the national and Bangsamoro government may conflict in the pursuit for known terrorists in the Bangsamoro region.

While the government may insist that there is a terrorist in the area, the Bangsamoro government may deny it, the solon said in painting a scenario similar to the botched Mamasapano operation on Jan. 25 that left 67 persons dead.

While the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers were in the Maguindanao town to hunt international terrorist Marwan, they did not coordinate with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) early on about the operation in the group’s territory. The MILF was accused of coddling Marwan, which it denied.

Alejano said with the intergovernmental body in place, the PNP would have to go through it and lose precious time that could have been used for the operation.

“If the Philippine National Police believes according to its intelligence na mayroong terorista within the Bangsamoro area then it has to go through the intergovernmental relations, paano pag sabihin ng Bangsamoro police na ‘walang terorista sa amin,’ pero ang PNP sabi mayroon?” Alejano, a former soldier, said.

“We will lose some time in coordinating and negotiating with the Bangsamoro about the operation. Katulad nang nangyari sa Mamasapano,” Alejano said.

The House committee resumed its deliberations over the BBL security provisions, discussions of which were suspended in the aftermath of the Mamasapano incident which involved the BBL main benefactor MILF.

The bill seeks to implement the peace deal with MILF to create a more politically autonomous Bangsamoro entity. RC