President Aquino
RICHARD A. REYES/INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
President Benigno Aquino III on Friday denied that he offered P1.5 billion worth of projects to lawmakers in exchange for the passage of the controversial Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
“Ask someone who was there, I never promised anything besides the appeal that in the passage of the BBL, we do have a chance to change the narrative whereas not passing it continues the status quo. And that was the central message, nothing more to it, nothing less,” President Aquino told the Bulong Pulungan forum at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.
The President showed a hint of irritation at the allegation, made by an unidentified source in a news report, by saying that if ever there was anything that he would give to lawmakers for the holidays, it was likely a Christmas card.
President Aquino on Tuesday met with both administration and opposition lawmakers following days of lack of quorum at the House of Representatives, a major stumbling block in the passage of the BBL.
The meeting took place three days after he arrived from Italy, where the President discussed the peace process with top officials of the Italian government and the Vatican.
Mr. Aquino earlier said it was Secretary of State to the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, “who was more emphatic” about the Philippines’ contribution to attaining world peace through its peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
The President and Parolin met after the private audience Mr. Aquino had with Pope Francis.
Mr. Aquino said Parolin told him the Philippines “can serve as an example of how to reach out to our Muslim brothers and achieve peace especially [in light of] extremism that is such a threat worldwide.”
The Vatican Radio, quoting a press statement from the Holy See Press Office, said that “particular attention was given to the state of the peace process in the Mindanao—located in the south of the country—with the hope being expressed that the commitment of the parties can guarantee a stable and lasting peace in the region.”
The peace process with the MILF is one of the cornerstones of the Aquino administration’s effort to bring security and development to war-torn Central Mindanao.
Except for a few delays, the peace deal was on track until the Mamasapano debacle in January, where 44 police commandos and 18 MILF rebels were killed in an encounter.
The proposed BBL and the entire peace negotiations were denigrated by lawmakers, government officials and the public, blaming the MILF despite the admission of Special Action Force (SAF) director Getulio Napenas that he ignored the GPH-MILF cease-fire agreement in the operation to take down Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir alias Marwan and his Filipino cohort, Basit Usman.