Minority bloc on bribery raps vs pro-BBL solons: ‘We’re not the majority to know’

THE minority bloc of the House of Representatives said on Wednesday that they do not have knowledge on bribery allegations against legislators who voted in favor of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

House Minority leader Ronaldo Zamora said that they have no knowledge on the issue.

“We are not the majority to know,” Zamora said in a press conference an hour before the House panel voted on the proposed law.

The House ad hoc committee approved the BBL and the committee report in a 48-18 vote, with one abstention.

Members of the minority bloc, which include members of the Makabayan bloc, voted no to the BBL.

Deputy minority leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, during the voting, said that the BBL will not solve the problems plaguing Mindanao for decades.

“The BBL failed to address the roots of the Mindanao conflict,” Colmenares said.

ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio said that some economic provisions, which were rejected during the deliberations, would stifle the Bangsamoro people in attaining their demands of full autonomy.

Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano who also voted no to the BBL draft decried that the proposed measure was railroaded.

“I would have voted yes for BBL had it not been railroaded,” Alejano said.

Citing a source, the Daily Tribune reported on Thursday that lawmakers who voted for the approval of the BBL were promised P50 million in projects and P1 million in cash.

The report said that the offer was made during the meeting of House panel chair Rufus Rodriguez and other lawmakers with President Benigno Aquino III.

Budget Secretary Florencio Abad allegedly promised that the P50 million in projects will be coursed through “bottom up budgeting.”

Rodriguez has earlier confirmed that he had a meeting with Aquino but maintained that it was only an “exchange of ideas.”  AC