Sulu gov: Clearer explanation needed to dispel people’s fear of BBL

JOLO, Sulu–Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan II hopes that the public hearings being conducted by Congress will allay the fears of Filipinos that there will be a forceful takeover of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) once the Bangsamoro Basic Law is passed.

During his opening speech on the joint public hearing of the Senate Committees on Local Government and Peace, Unification and Reconciliation here on Tuesday, Tan said that many Filipinos fear the possibility of an MILF takeover.

“I think most of us here have not read the draft law. What is being talked about here is that the MILF will take over Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and provinces under it. We cannot blame the people to think of this scenario as the BBL was not explained thoroughly to us and to the ordinary people. Explaining the BBL thoroughly would have unified and not divided the people of Sulu,” Tan said in Filipino.

READ: Palace to critics: Read the 122-page BBL first
“With the presence of various sectors here today, I hope that the Senate committee and the people participating can clear the air that this current episode of dealing with the region is not about the virtual takeover of local governance by an occupying force as bannered by some forces,” he added.

The Sulu governor also asked the Senate committee to address the sentiments of the people.

“I beg the indulgence of the honorable Senate committee that if there are queries not on the provisions of the law but on the outpouring or murmuring sentiments of the uncertainties on what awaits the future,” Tan said.

Senate Local Government committee head Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. leads the public hearing on the BBL here along with Sulu Vice Governor Abdusakur Tan and Davao del Norte Representative Anton Lagdameo.

Marcos explained that the Sulu leg of the public hearings should have been done last February but the botched counterterrorism operation in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Jan. 25 “pushed back” talks on the BBL.

READ: Marcos: BBL stalls until there’s ‘complete picture’ of Mamasapano incident

Mayors from various Sulu towns, government officials, private individuals and members of nongovernment organizations also graced the event.

The public hearing is ongoing as of posting time. IDL