Davide: BBL region a test for federalism

Former Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO/ CATHY MIRANDA

A Bangsamoro autonomous state to be created under the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will serve as a test whether the country is ready for a shift to the federal system of government, according to one of the framers of the 1987 Constitution.

Former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. on Wednesday proposed working first on the Bangsamoro as a model state before considering the possibility of shifting to federalism.

“To consider a federal system for the entire Philippines without having first sort of pilot, or an example of one will be very, very difficult,” said Davide at the Senate hearing on the proposed revision of the 1987 Constitution.

Constitutional infirmities

Davide was a member of the peace council created during the administration of President Benigno Aquino III and was assigned to the committee that looked into the constitutional aspects of the BBL.

He had recommended its approval after removing the constitutional infirmities from the proposed law.

“If we now would have a BBL but with a view that it would be one of the federal states in the federal government, we will have a model,” Davide said.

“It is only upon determination later on that it can work as a model for a state under a federal government that we can consider federalization of the entire Philippines,” he added.

He earlier expressed his opposition to amending the 1987 Constitution, saying it remained to be the “best in the world” despite its imperfections.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday said he wanted the BBL passed before Congress pursued charter change.