Congress ‘ refusal to pass BBL ‘not end of our world’ – MILF

COTABATO CITY — For the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the death of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is not the end of their world.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer they were saddened by the latest pronouncement of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. that the BBL had no chance of being passed in the 16th Congress.

“Well that’s only confirmation of what we have been foreseeing since December last year, but it’s not the end of the world for us. We will continue pursuing a settlement,” Iqbal said.

“We will ask the next government to comply with their obligation with us. What we agreed with the government is legal and we will continue to ask for what were promised to us,” he added.

Earlier, Belmonte said that even if the House approved the bill, the Senate has not acted on its version of the BBL, which in Congress is now the Basic Law of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR).

Iqbal acknowledged the January 25, 2015 carnage Mamasapano, Maguindanao where 44 police commandos, 17 MILF and five civilians, were killed also caused the delay in the bill passage.

“We thanked those congressmen who supported the passage of the bill.  Those against the bill, we wanted them to see the situation of Mindanao in larger perspective. The territorial problem with China is real. Radicalism are also present and these might add to the present global problem,” Iqbal said.

On March 27, 2014, the Philippine government under the administration of President Aquino and MILF peace negotiators signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.  SFM