ARMM mayors asking legislators to okay BBL
BANGSAMORO NEWS UPDATES • 07:24 AM Sat Jun 6, 2015
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By:
BPI- ARMM news release
COTABATO CITY – The majority of mayors in the Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao (ARMM) are asking national legislators to review and approve the
Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).
Thirteen
mayors from Maguindanao, 26 from Lanao del Sur, seven from Sulu, 12 from
Basilan, and eight from Tawi-Tawi manifested their support for the passage of
the BBL saying it is a step in fulfilling a lasting peace in Mindanao.
The 66 mayors
prepared and signed a statement of support noting the BBL will help resolve the
issues affecting Mindanao.Currently, the ARMM is composed of five provinces,
two cities and 118 municipalities.
The mayors who
signed the statement said the BBL will open opportunities to their
constituents. Both the regional government and the local government units, they
said, will also be strengthened. However, they noted that this can be achieved
through a structurally superior Bangsamoro region.
They further
said that the BBL is a leap forward after decades of peace talks between the
Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and that it
is indubitably has the stamp of the Moro aspirations for peace, justice,
genuine autonomy and self-determination.”
The ARMM
government has been consistent in signifying its support to the BBL and the
Mindanao peace agenda. Governor Mujiv Hataman even urged his constituents to
support the call of the region for its passage.
On May 18, the
75 members of the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro
headed by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez voted to approve the measure
formalizing the creation of a new political entity – the Bangsamoro region. Deliberations ended Thursday night and will resume Monday afternoon at 4.On
June 11, the House in plenary is set to vote on its endorsement to the Senate.