House to wait for BBL inputs

MANILA, Philippines - The House ad hoc committee on the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will await inputs from the council of citizen leaders on the proposed legislation that would create a new autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao.

President Aquino created the council last weekend. Its members are Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, former chief justice Hilario Davide Jr., businessman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, former ambassador Howard Dee and peace advocate Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman.

“I was proposing that during their summit, toward the end, we – the chairman and eight vice chairmen of the ad hoc committee – would be invited so that we can immediately get their recommendations,” Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, committee chairman, told radio station dzBB.

“Definitely, any recommendations from men of proven wisdom and probity will be very helpful on how to treat and deal with the provisions of the draft BBL,” he said.

“In fact, if we will not be invited at the last part of the summit, at the recommendation part, then I will invite them to come so that they will be able to explain, to give their insights to the committee. So we will invite them, if they will not invite us,” he added.

The ad hoc committee will resume holding its closed-door sessions on the draft BBL on April 20 to 30.

Rodriguez said he does not agree with some BBL critics that the formation of the council of leaders was too late.

“We in the House see that this will be very helpful. That’s why I thank the President for having this initiative. It will help us. Any recommendation will help us consider each and every provision of the proposed BBL. So we’re open to additional suggestions. As chairman of the ad hoc committee, I will make sure the inputs of the council, of the citizen leaders, will be considered,” he said.

He said if inputs from the council are not available on April 20-30, they could still be presented when the ad hoc committee votes on its report on May 11-12, or when the House takes up the report.

“The council’s views could be considered even when the proposed BBL is already being discussed in plenary,” he added.

The draft law is the product of years of peace negotiations between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is being accused of killing 44 policemen on a mission to arrest three suspected terrorists in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

The MILF has justified the killing, claiming its fighters acted only in self-defense. It lost 18 guerrillas. Five civilians also died in the fighting.

The “massacre,” as the Senate has called the bloodbath, has delayed consideration by the House and the Senate of the draft BBL.

Senators have described it as in coma. They will conduct another hearing on it on April 13.

Both Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and Senate President Franklin Drilon have promised that they would try to have the measure passed before the end of the second regular session of Congress on June 11.

Government open to discussion

Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said that contrary to perception, the government is open to public discussion not just on the benefits but also the disadvantages of forging a peace agreement with Muslim rebels in Mindanao.

Ferrer gave this assurance in a briefing held at Malacañang yesterday afternoon, but issued a qualifier: that this should be confined only to the draft BBL.

“I’m in favor of hearing the pros and cons so long as it’s founded on the right information, or those found in the draft law,” she told Palace reporters.

Ferrer, who along with Peace Adviser Teresita Deles has been accused of being an MILF spokesperson, nonetheless said that the National Peace Summit that President Aquino formed should be given a chance for purposes of educating the public.

“Let’s give them (peace convenors) a chance. They have barely started, they are meeting to familiarize themselves with the bill. Antayin natin ang resulta (Let’s wait for the result). At the end of the day, it will be good for everybody,” she assured the journalists.

She then pitched for the BBL as the only way to go.

“We are very much committed to pursuing what we have started. This is for the good of the Filipino people for future generations.”

Malacañang maintains that Aquino wants the National Peace Summit convened for purposes of educating the public in general about the benefits of a lasting peace in strife-torn Mindanao, which should not be tied to the Mamasapano incident.

Zamboanga City Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar said it is not the role of the local governments to hasten the passage of the BBL.

“Actually, it’s not the role of the city, it’s the role of the OPAPP. They should be the one who has the lines of explanation to the people and communicate the message about the BBL,” Salazar said.

Aquino had called on local officials to support the immediate passage of the BBL, warning that without BBL the country could expect the resumption of war and again count body bags.

Salazar also raised concern on the implementation of the demobilization and disarmament of the MILF members that has to be fully reviewed by Congress.

Moro civil society groups and an interfaith group appealed anew to Congress to pass the BBL.

The civil society organizations, led by retired Army Col. Atiola Jamsuri, also urged the country’s Christian population to set aside biases against Muslims and invest their trust in the success of the peace process in Mindanao.

The Moro leaders said the passage of the BBL would create a better Bangsamoro self-governing government that could exert greater control on the peace and order situation. – With Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, Roel Pareño