No pork in House BBL vote, says Palace

There was no quid pro quo for congressmen’s yes votes for the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) from President Aquino, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

The Palace thanked the BBL committee for voting to approve the proposed Bangsamoro autonomy law.

The BBL is a priority measure of President Aquino, who has promised to work for lasting peace and development in Central Mindanao by forging a peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Promise of peace, prosperity

The MILF has waged a separatist war for decades but agreed to lay down its arms in exchange for a new Bangsamoro autonomous region that would replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

In a briefing for reporters on Wednesday, presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the President did not dangle any reward for the congressmen during a meeting in Malacañang on Sunday where they worked on the draft bill that was submitted to the committee for the vote.

Lacierda said the only promise made by President Aquino to the congressmen was “peace and prosperity in Mindanao.”

Running out of time

The President met with select members of the House BBL committee in Malacañang on May 15 and 17 to go through with them the version of the draft bill to ensure that it would be faithful to the peace agreement between the government and the MILF.

At the meeting was Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, head of the BBL committee, who earlier said there were several unconstitutional provisions in the draft law.

The Senate continues to hold consultations on the BBL, which would establish a new autonomous region for Muslims in Mindanao.

Lacierda said the President took an active role in looking into the congressmen’s proposed amendments to the draft bill simply because “time is getting short.”

Passage of the bill was delayed by a controversy caused by a clash between police commandos and Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, on Jan. 25.

The clash left 44 Special Action Force commandos, 17 MILF rebels and three civilians dead.

“The situation in Mamasapano obviously delayed the timetable for us… and we need to catch up. We need to also make sure that, as we have previously stated, the need for capacity building [is met],” Lacierda said.

“We need to also capacitate the people from Mindanao, those who are going to take on leadership to ensure that they are equipped with capabilities to govern the area. So that’s an important thing and also to prepare the entire Bangsamoro for the eventual synchronization of elections in 2016,” Lacierda said.

Referendum

After its passage in Congress, the proposed BBL has to be submitted to a referendum for approval by the people living in the core territory of the Bangsamoro region, as required by the Constitution.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said the committee approval of the bill spelled a “good day in our quest for just and lasting peace” in Mindanao.

“We are aware that there will still be challenges along the way but we are confident that our lawmakers will heed the call of the people for meaningful autonomy and an end to conflict,” Deles said.

She thanked the House leadership and the members of the BBL committee for “heeding the call of the Bangsamoro for peace and development.”