Gov’t, MILF see BBL passage delay as an opportunity

The government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) have downplayed the expected non-passage of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) in the House of Representatives by June 11, saying that delays in its approval would give the government more time “to gain broader support” for it.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal saw the situation as an opportunity “to pass the best version of the BBL and (to have) more time to [polish] the draft law.”

In a statement, Malacañang expressed hope Congress would enact the proposed BBL “shortly after” it reconvenes in July.

“The decision of Congress leaders to continue working on the enactment of the Bangsamoro Basic Law beyond the current session provides an opportunity to gain broader support for achieving long-term peace, stability and progress in Mindanao,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma said.

“We will intensify efforts at creating heightened citizen awareness that is essential in engaging their active participation in the peace process,” he added.

Congress ends its session on June 11 and reconvenes on July 27, when President Aquino will deliver his sixth and last State of the Nation Address.

The delay in the passage of the draft bill would mean a shorter period of transition for a new Bangsamoro autonomous region to be set in place.

Test for a year

Upon approval of the bill, a plebiscite will be held among identified core territories for the people to decide whether or not they want to be part of the new Bangsamoro Autonomous Region that will be led by an interim government called the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

Ideally, the BTA should be in power for at least a year to test how the system for the new autonomous region would work.

Elections for the new set of leaders for the Bangsamoro autonomous region had been envisioned to take place alongside the May 2016 national elections.

Maguindanao Rep. Bai Sandra Sema said the autonomous region could still be established during the Aquino administration “but with a very short transition period.”

In a phone interview with the Inquirer, chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said there had been no discussions yet on how to address the possibility of a much shorter transition period for the Bangsamoro region, as the negotiating panels were still working on the assumption that elections in the autonomous region would be synchronized with the May 2016 elections.

On the removal of the opt-in provision in the draft BBL, Ferrer said “nothing is removed” until the final approval of the bill.

The opt-in provision is important, she said, “in the sense that it is in the CAB (Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro), which is a signed agreement,” and it was an “important feature” during negotiations with the MILF on the Bangsamoro territory.