Senate president: No to ‘opt-in’ provision of BBL

Senate President Franklin Drilon. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / JOAN BONDOC

Senate President Franklin Drilon thumbed down on Monday the controversial “opt-in” provision in the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) that would allow the Bangsamoro territory to expand after its boundaries have been established in a plebiscite.

“I’m not in favor of that,” Drilon said in an interview over ABC-CBN News Channel.

He said the provision only “fans the mistrust between our brother Muslims and Christians. Today’s environment is simply not conducive to having provisions like the opt-in provision,” he said.

“In any case, if there’s really a clamor in the future, the Bangsamoro is just a law. You can always amend it (to put in the provision),” he added. “To place the opt-in at this point will just add fire when it’s not necessary.”

The opt-in provision was reportedly included in the BBL version approved by a committee in the House of Representatives. The House has yet to vote on the BBL in the plenary.

Article 3, Section 3 of the proposed BBL (HB No. 4996) provides that “any local government unit (LGU) or geographical area outside the territorial jurisdiction of the Bangsamoro, but which are contiguous to any of the component units of the Bangsamoro and within the area of autonomy identified in the 1976 Tripoli Agreement, may opt to be part of the Bangsamoro by filing a petition of at least 10 percent of the registered voters of the interested LGU or geographical area.”

The same section states that petitions may be filed in the fifth or 10th year after the enactment of the Bangsamoro law.

READ: House passes proposed BBL, 50-17

The proposed BBL is still being deliberated by the Senate committee on local government which will conduct another hearing on Tuesday, or a day before the Congress adjourns.

But Drilon said the committee chair, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., had “committed” to submit a committee report when Congress resumes on July 27.