‘Up to OPAPP to announce submission of draft BBL’

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang said yesterday it would be up to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) to announce the “good news” or the day the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) is submitted to Congress before President Aquino’s trip to Europe and the United States starting Sept. 13.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said over radio dzRB they would rather let the OPAPP bare the good news.

“They are the ones who have been doing the yeoman’s job in handling this BBL,” he said.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Deles said last week Aquino was going through the draft submitted by the peace panels of both the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“Presidential review of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law was completed almost two weeks ago. On the basis of the President’s comments, there were further discussions and exchange of notes between MILF and the Office of the President, the results of which were also submitted to the President,” Deles said.

“The draft BBL is now undergoing final stages of refinement,” she added.

Lacierda said it would be good for the draft BBL to be submitted to Congress before Aquino’s meetings in Europe because some of the European nations were part of the International Contact Group supporting the peace process between the government and the MILF.

“We recognize the fact that the President is trying to make sure that the BBL will pass the Constitution’s standards and scrutiny,” he said.

Aside from the peace process, Lacierda said the President would also invite European investors to come to the country.

He said the government would address the concerns of European businessmen on red tape.

He said they were open to hear their concerns and exert efforts to address them to ease doing business in the country.

“The President will be able to share our experience...what’s happening in the Philippines in terms of opportunities for investments in several fields – tourism, manufacturing, and others – which will truly be attractive to foreign investors,” Lacierda said.