Drilon: Party lines blurred in BBL vote

MANILA, Philippines–The senators will not be restrained by party loyalty when the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) comes to a vote, according to Senate President Franklin Drilon.

Each senator will make his or her own decision, he told a forum at the Manila Hotel.

“In issues such as the Bangsamoro, each senator has his or her own perception on what should be included … in the bill. Party lines are often crossed and it’s not a factor in the decision,” Drilon said.

Majority of the Senate’s 24 members are allied with the administration.

According to Drilon, in the Senate, one can never be sure of what the numbers for a bill will be. He noted that when the chamber tackled the sin tax bill, it won the debate by one vote.

Drilon also said that the Malacañang-backed version of the bill would be amended to remove the unconstitutional provisions, including the opt-in provision, which would allow other areas in Mindanao to eventually join the proposed Bangsamoro region.

He also said that the Senate’s actions on the draft law, such as consulting stakeholders and soliciting expert opinion, were important. It is critical that the measure be accepted both legally and politically, Drilon said.

The draft BBL is supposed to implement the peace agreement that the Aquino administration signed with the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) by providing for creation of a so-called Bangsamoro region that would expand the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

But deliberations on the measure hit a snag following the killing of 44 Special Action Force commandos by Moro rebels, including members of the MILF, in Mamasapano, Maguindanao province, last January.

The incident prompted some lawmakers to question the MILF’s sincerity and to subject the BBL to stringent examination.

Despite this, the Aquino administration and the MILF are continuing to pursue peace, and recently facilitated the decommissioning of 75 high-powered firearms from the rebel group and the return to normal life of 145 MILF combatants.

But the MILF said that as provided for by the peace agreement, the decommissioning would stop if there is no BBL.

Under the peace agreement, the second phase of the decommissioning would take place upon the ratification of the BBL.

The chair of the BBL committee in the House of Representatives has warned the Senate that failure to pass the measure may result in renewed fighting in Mindanao.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said critics of the bill, especially those in the Senate, should take cognizance of the fact that the second and later phases of the decommissioning can only proceed if Congress is able to pass the BBL.