MILF all set for Bangsamoro Assembly in Sultan Kudarat

Ghadzali Jaafar, first vice chair of the MILF and chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, says at least 4,000 MILF members have been tapped to secure the Old Capitol Compound, the venue of the assembly, in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao. (Photo from the Facebook page of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission)

DAVAO CITY – The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said it was all set for Monday’s Bangsamoro Assembly in Maguindanao, which it has organized in support of the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

The proposed law, which aims to establish a new autonomous government for the Moro in lieu of the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), is now pending in Congress.

Shortly before flying to Japan on Oct. 29, President Rodrigo Duterte urged Congress to fast track the passage of the bill.

“If we do not act on it expeditiously, I think that we are headed for trouble,” Duterte said. “We must continue to talk and I will urge Congress to fast track it because they are getting impatient.”

He also urged the MILF to be patient and “just wait a bit but we will comply on our side what we have promised.”

“That is a commitment, not even a promise, but a commitment to the Moro people,” Duterte said.

Ghadzali Jaafar, first vice chair of the MILF and chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, said at least 4,000 MILF members had been tapped to secure the Old Capitol Compound, the venue of the assembly, in Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

He said the rebel group expected “very important personalities” such as Cotabato Archbishop Orlando Cardinal Quevedo to attend.

“This is in support of the passage of the BBL,” Jaafar added.

To drum up more support to the passage of the bill, the MILF said its committee on Tarbiyyah (development) had also partnered with the Sustainable Initiatives of Grassroots and Networks for BBL (#SignNewBBL) for the conduct of “A Walk for BBL.”

“The “Walk for BBL” was (also) designed to show (the) unity and solidarity of the Bangsamoro People, and other sectors and to urge Congress to pass the BBL,” the MILF’s official online publication, Luwaran, said.

“The coalition that comprises the #SignNewBBL Movement in cooperation with Tarbiyyah Committee of the MILF Central Committee, Department of Education including private educational institutions and state universities and colleges (SUC’s) are joining together to make the assembly successful and peaceful until its culmination on November 27,” the MILF added. /atm