Dureza to ask Duterte for speedy turnover of BBL to Congress

FILE – Filipino Muslims shout slogans during a rally outside the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Monday, May 5, 2014, to call for support to a recently signed peace agreement between the government and the largest Muslim rebel group in the country. BBL on the sign means Bagsamoro Basic Law. AP

Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza on Tuesday said he would recommend to President Rodrigo Duterte to immediately turn over to Congress the proposed Bangsamoro basic law (BBL), which the Chief Executive would receive on July 17.

“Ang recommendation namin hindi natin alam din kung anong gagawin ng Pangulo, ’di ba? Finally. Pero ang recommendation is unlike ’yung ginawa sa previous administration na ’yung proposed BBL eh tininker muna, inayos-ayos muna ng Palasyo bago ipinadala sa Kongreso,” Dureza said in a Palace briefing. (Our recommendation is unlike the one what the previous administration did on the proposed BBL – they made some tinkering with it.)

“Our recommendation is that as soon as the President receives it, he will turn it over to the Speaker of the House and  the Senate President,” he added.

But he said the President has the final say on the proposed BBL.

“The President can do whatever he pleases. Baka (May be)  the President may have his own wisdom of doing what he thinks is best under the circumstances,” he said.

The BBL is set to be submitted to Duterte on July 17 in a bid for him to certify it as urgent in time for his State of the Nation Address (Sona) in Congress on July 24.

During the time of former president Benigno Aquino III, he first reviewed the BBL before submitting it to Congress.

Dureza said they will not follow the Aquino administration’s procedure when the BBL reaches Duterte’s desk.

“The President’s decision will come only when both  (housed of Congress) would pass a bill into law and he will be asked either to approve it or veto it. That is the point of touch for the President,” he added.