Palace: Duterte certifies BBL as urgent

President Rodrigo Duterte has finally certified the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as urgent, Presidential Spokesperon Harry Roque said on Tuesday afternoon.

“After much deliberation, the President has decided to make the House and Senate versions of the BBL as urgent and copy of it is on its way to both houses of Congress,” Roque said in a statement.

“Once both chambers have reconciled and finalized the version, the President will sign the BBL,” he added.

Certification of BBL as urgent. /Photo courtesy of Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

Roque said in an earlier press briefing in Bontoc, Mountain Province there may be no need to certify the BBL as urgent because of the stark differences between the versions of the Senate and House of Representatives.

“Hindi na po siguro magkakaroon ng certification of urgency kasi unang una po magkaiba yung bersyon ng kamara at Senado,” Roque said in a televised press briefing in Bontoc, Mountain Province.

(I think the certification of urgency may no longer be issued because the versions of the House and the Senate are different).

The development came a day after Duterte met with Congress and Muslim leaders to reconcile differences in the proposed measure.

Congress is set to go on recess on June 2, which means it only has three more days to discuss the long-overdue bill.

It will resume on July 23, the day when Duterte delivers his third State of the Nation Address.  — with Julius Leonen, INQUIRER.net /vvp