Bulk of BBL accepted by gov't, MILF peace panels

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Approximately 70 percent of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law have been accepted by peace penals of the government and the country's largest rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a leading government official said here today.

The draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was finally submitted to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III through the Office of the Executive Secretary on Wednesday night after months of review.

"More than 70 percent have been agreed upon by both panels, so we are looking at a few provisions that would still need the President's observation," said Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda.

He said the President certainly knows the importance of the agreement, which will be submitted to the Congress within this month.

Lacierda said that there has been close collaboration between both peace panels and also between Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa and Mohagher Iqbal of the MILF. The MILF has expressed optimism over the completion of the remaining segments of the draft law.

Once the draft law is approved by Congress, a plebiscite will be held and a transition authority will be created in preparation for the conduct of an election in the Bangsamoro in 2016.

The MILF, the largest anti-government force, has been fighting government troops for decades to establish a self-rule Muslim state in southern Philippines.

The Aquino government and the 11,800-strong rebel group formally signed the Comprehensive Agreement on Bangsamoro (CAB) on March 27 this year at the Malacanan Palace, the site of the government, in Manila, ending 40 years of conflict that has claimed thousands of lives and stalled economic development in areas affected by fighting.