BBL not dead as Senate resumes debates on November 3

MANILA, Philippines - The Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will have to wait until after All Soul’s Day when Congress resumes session on Nov. 3, Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday.

“The BBL is difficult to pass before we adjourn on Oct. 10. So, it will have to wait when we come back in November. We hope to finish it by December,” Drilon added.

If the measure is not passed by then, Rep. Celso Lobregat (1st District, Zamboanga City) believes that it may not be passed during the Aquino administration.

He said the BBL was simply overtaken by the killing of 44 members of the police Special Action Force in January by members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freeedom Fighters.

Lobregat pointed out that Congress is still in the period of interpellation, preceding the period of amendment, “which also takes a long period of time because every amendment will have to be voted on” and needs a quorum.

At the Senate, Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile and his deputy Vicente Sotto III are still lined up for debates with Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the bill’s sponsor.

Drilon said even the interpellations will not be finished as Congress goes on All Soul’s Day break and Marcos is also busy with other appointments.

“It is hard to finish this since Senator Marcos has other appointments outside. He has not been in the hall. That’s the reality that we face,” he said.

Government peace panel chairman Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said yesterday that the election fever should not be used as reason to defer work on BBL.

She added that politicians who will run in the 2016 elections need not worry about their popularity rating when championing the measure.

“Recent surveys point to inflation, poverty and corruption as the most critical issues for voters. The BBL, and even the peace process in general, should be seen for what it is: a tool to bring socio-economic and political justice in the Bangsamoro,” Ferrer said.

She believes that there is still time to pass the measure next month.

“Why pass it in December if we can do it this November? After all, with the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Conference) here, the world will once again be watching the Philippines and it will be good for the whole country to have a BBL before then. Leaders around the Asia Pacific would want assurances that the Philippines is peaceful, progressive and ready for development and integration. Let us not let that international meet be a missed opportunity. It is never too late to achieve something good,” Ferrer said.

Drilon, a re-electionist senator, admitted the difficulty in getting a quorum at the session hall with the upcoming filing of certificates of candidacy before the Commission on Elections next week. – With Roel Pareño, Jose Rodel Clapano, Marvin Sy