MANILA, Philippines - Leaders of the House of Representatives yesterday prodded Malacañang to submit the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law as soon as possible to give lawmakers enough time to study the document.
Majority Leader and Mandaluyong City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II said the chamber should be given ample time to check the document for possible unconstitutional provisions.
“If Malacañang will submit it to us later this month, that would give us little time to start studying it at the committee level before we adjourn sine die on June 13,†Gonzales told The STAR.
He said that after the filing, the House will have to form a special panel composed of various committees to scrutinize the proposed measure. After the measure hurdles the committee level, it will be presented to the plenary for deliberations before its passage.
He said the ad hoc panel’s discussions as well as plenary deliberations would take time, as lawmakers will question the proposed Bangsamoro law that will lay the foundations of a new autonomous region in Mindanao.
“We’re hoping that the ad hoc committee will try to pass the measure before we adjourn,†Gonzales said.
He said the House has only about a month and a half left when it resumes session in July before it deliberates on the proposed 2015 national budget.
Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez said the independent bloc has started a series of comprehensive briefings among its members on the recently signed Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
He said the briefings will help prepare the bloc for deliberations on the proposed Bangsamoro law once the measure reaches the House.
Among the resource persons invited for today are University of the Philippines Islamic Institute Dean Julkipli Wadi and UP professor emeritus and former national treasurer Leonor Briones.
Peace rally in Mindanao
Thousands of peace advocates joined rallies held simultaneously in key cities in Mindanao on Sunday calling on Congress to immediately pass the draft Bangsamoro law once submitted by Malacañang for enactment.
“Peaceful rallies meant to dramatize a common position on anything under the sun, or to air grievances, are far from being bloody. We will not oppose any peaceful rally in the province in support of the peace process,†Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu told reporters yesterday.
Reports reaching the inter-agency provincial peace and order council (PPOC) said the residents participated in rallies in the cities of Cotabato and Tacurong and in parts of North Cotabato.
Maguindanao, which has 36 towns, is host to the main bastion of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Camp Darapanan, in the northeastern part of the province.
Mangudadatu said he was saddened by reports that local officials in other areas in Mindanao had opposed the conduct of Sunday’s peaceful rallies to show support for the enactment of the draft Bangsamoro law that had been submitted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission to Malacañang for final review.
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Mujiv Hataman said he had instructed the police to secure the rallies in support of the peace process in any part of the region.
Thousands of residents also gathered in Lanao del Norte and Marawi City to urge Congress to expedite the passage of the proposed Bangsamoro law.
Meanwhile, members of the Mindanao Alliance for Peace were not allowed to hold a rally in Zamboanga City on Sunday.
Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said they cancelled the rally permit of the group based on the security assessment of the police and the military.
“Since Zamboanga City is not part of ARMM nor will it be part of the Bangsamoro core territory, we cancelled their permit to rally. Nonetheless, we support all peace initiatives as this will help the people of Mindanao,†she said. – With John Unson, Gerry Lee Gorit, Roel Pareño