Lack of quorum threatens BBL passage

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang is hopeful that lawmakers will heed Senate President Franklin Drilon’s appeal for them to attend sessions to pass the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which is in danger of being bypassed because of lack of quorum in Congress.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the passage of BBL would “redound to the benefit of all the peoples of Mindanao and, in general, to the people of the Philippines.” 

“We certainly would hope to see the passage of the BBL. It has been debated in the committee level; it has been discussed in public; all angles have been addressed. So it’s time for the legislators who will pass the law to buckle down and we request them to take a hard look at the BBL,” Lacierda told radio station dzRB on Sunday.

“We hope our lawmakers listen to the appeal of Senate President Franklin Drilon and I’m sure all of us have an interest and we have a stake in the development of Muslim Mindanao,” he added.

A priority measure of the Aquino administration, the BBL aims to form a new Bangsamoro political entity with enhanced autonomy. The new entity will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, one of the poorest regions in the country.

However, the low attendance numbers at the House of Representatives is obstructing the passage of BBL, raising concerns among peace advocates who claim that failure to enact the measure would prolong the poverty and violence in Mindanao.

Concerns about the fate of the BBL has prompted Drilon to renew his call to his colleagues to be present in the plenary hearings and to actively participate in the discussions.

“I call on my colleagues not to abandon this piece of legislation so crucial to the establishment of peace and development in Mindanao. We can make the most of out our remaining session days by passing this bill, along with other important legislation such as the 2016 national budget,” Drilon said in a statement last Saturday.  

Drilon said the Senate leadership is working closely with their counterparts at the House of Representatives led by House Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to closely monitor the progress of BBL. 

Aside from the quorum problems, another impediment to BBL’s passage is the strong opposition of lawmakers and legal experts who believe that the measure violates the Constitution.

Opponents of the bill have questioned the inclusion of areas that do not want to be part of the new Bangsamoro entity and the supposed delegation of taxing powers to a region, something prohibited by the Constitution.