Seek to understand BBL first before bashing it, lawmakers admonished

Senator Grace Poe and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS / NINO JESUS ORBETA

OZAMIZ CITY, Philippines—A civil society group has urged lawmakers to present “more mature” views about the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) instead of blindly bashing the measure.

“A reasoned scrutiny of the BBL will come if legislators set aside their prejudicial views about Muslims, appreciate the distinct history of the Moros as a people and, most important, study the proposed law well so they would understand what it intends to achieve.”

Candido Aparece Jr., spokesman of Mindanao Civil Society Organizations Platform for Peace (MCSOPP), aired the appeal following the visit to Mindanao of Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero.

Aparece addressed his appeal to legislators “who have been bashing and prejudging the proposed law before the public.”

“If that is difficult to achieve in the House of Representatives because many of its members are consumed with their parochial interests, we expect the senators to provide political maturity,” Aparece said in a statement.

‘Ridiculous’

Visiting Koronadal City Saturday, Poe and Escudero said they were against the passage of the BBL as proposed by Malacañang, warning that it would create a separate republic.

“This is ridiculous. By saying that, Poe and Escudero are clearly not studying the proposed measure, and it has been already more than nine months in their hands,” Aparece said.

The Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which drafted the BBL, handed over the legislative proposal to Congress last year.

Aparece cited a provision on the definition of territory in the draft BBL which states that the Bangsamoro territory “shall remain a part of the Philippines.”

“How come they concluded there would be a separate republic? Is it because they just want to be different from the views of (President Aquino) on the BBL? That is flimsy and characteristic of opportunistic politicians,” Aparece said.

Poe is leading in political surveys on public preference for president in the 2016 elections.

“If Senator Poe wants to be seen as someone who can lead this country with firmness and determination despite being a political greenhorn, she should be discerning about her position on issues,” Aparece said.

‘Dragged by Chiz’

“In the case of her recent comments on the BBL, it seems she was just dragged along by the none-too-clear views of Chiz (Escudero).”

Escudero was among the 13 senators who signed on as coauthors of Senate Bill No. 2408, the proposed BBL.

Two coauthors, Senators JV Ejercito and Allan Peter Cayetano, withdrew their support of the measure after the clash between police commandos and Moro rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

“The BBL is hoped to be an instrument for social justice. That should be respected for what it seeks to achieve and not used as a kick ball in the political intramurals of 2016,” Aparece said.

For his part, the head of the Darul Ifta (Islamic House of Opinion) in the Philippines, Sheikh Abu Hurairah Abdulrahman Udasan, expressed hope the BBL would lead to peace in Mindanao.

“I am reminding my Muslim brothers, let us uphold peace so that the peace process can succeed,” he told reporters. “I am also inviting non-Muslims in Moro areas that we need real peace. Peace should start in the individual’s innermost conscience and peace of mind.”

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