Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
Senate President Franklin Drilon remained confident that the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) would be enacted into law before the year ends.
The passage of the BBL was derailed in Congress after the bloody Mamasapano incident last January 25 that left at least 44 elite policemen and several Moro rebels dead.
READ: Hearings on the Bangsamoro law halted after MILF killing of 30 cops
“Patuloy po ang pagtutok namin sa Bangsamoro Basic Law, sana po matapos ang mga debate by October 7,” Drilon said in an interview over Bombo Radyo on Friday.
(We are continuously monitoring the Bangsamoro Basic Law, hopefully, the debates will be finished by October 7.)
“Ngunit kung hindi man ay ito po ay ipagpapatuloy namin pagbalik namin sa Nobyembre. Ako po ay nakakasigurado na bago matapos ang taon ay magiging batas na ito,” he further said.
(But if this does not happen, we will resume deliberations in November. I am confident that this will be enacted into law before this year ends.)
READ: Senate to prioritize passage of ‘constitutional, inclusive and fair’ BBL
Congress will take a break next week and it will resume its sessions in November. But before taking a break, Drilon said the Senate will work first for the passage of several bills.
Among the measures that he said were approved by the Senate this week include a bill that would provide educational assistance and other benefits to the dependents of all members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine Coast Guard, and Bureau of Corrections, who are killed or permanently incapacitated while in the performance of their duty.
Drilon said the Senate also passed a bill that would increase the penalty for smuggling of agricultural products.
“Habang buhay pong pagkakulong ang aming batas na aming ginagawa (We are creating a law that will lead to the convict’s life imprisonment),” he said. IDL