BBL to BL-BAR - Bangsamoro draft law now in House for deliberations

QUEZON CITY –
A substitute bill of the proposed House Bill 4994 or the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law
(BBL) has been submitted for floor debates at the House of Representatives as
peace advocates hope smooth sailing and not diluted bill.

Cagayan Rep.
Rufus Rodriguez authored the substitute bill, now known as House Bill 5811 or
draft Basic Law of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BL-BAR).

Rodriguez said
HB 5811 envisioned a new region under One Constitution, One Nation.”

He said all
the provisions that the AdHoc Committee on the BBL believed were
unconstitutional were reworded and changed but did not affect the essence of
the BBL in accordance with the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

I am very
proud to present this committee report or HB 5811,” he said in his sponsorship
speech before the plenary.

Right side of
history

This is
within the framework of the Constitution,” he added. My distinguished
colleagues, let us be in the right side of history,” Rodriguez told House
members.

Aside from
Rodriguez, other lawmakers who co-sponsored with him also delivered sponsorship
speeches. They were Deputy House Speaker
for Mindanao Rep. Pangalian Balindong of Lanao del Sur, Basilan Rep. Jim
Hataman-Salliman, Maguindanao 1st district with Cotabato City Rep.
Bai Sandra Sema, Misamis Occidental Rep. Henry Oamenal, Sulu Rep. Tupay Loong,
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, Leyte 2nd district Rep. Sergio Apostol.

Three or more
co-sponsors are scheduled to deliver speeches at the continuation of the regular
session this afternoon.

Unite, reunite

Today, we are
at the crossroads of our lives as a nation,” Rep. Sema said in her speech.

The bill that
is being presented to us today is another challenge for us to unite, or shall I
say, to reunite. The bright future will
not come sooner to us, unless we learn to forgive and forget the hatred against
one another that had been sown in us by people who do not want our nation to
live in peace,” Sema said.

Sema said HB
5811 had been reviewed, screened, sifted, amended and revised by the 75-member
AdHoc Committee, although there is no guarantee that it is now a perfect
bill.”

But shall we
choose to continue with war, shall we choose to continue with misunderstanding,
shall we choose to continue misunderstanding, shall we continue with
fault-finding for an error of constitutionality that can be remedied sooner or
maybe later? I dare say we should not,” Sema said.

Sema added a
favourable vote for HB 5811 does not mean that one is less careful, less
intelligent or less perfect. A favourable participation and action means that
one is a humble advocate of peace,” she said.

Not
unconstitutional

Hataman said
HB 5811 is not unconstitutional because it was endorsed by Peace Council, a
body formed by Malacanang to review the draft BBL. It was headed by former Supreme Court Chief
Justice Hilario Davide.

Hataman also
said the war in Mindanao did not achieve anything.

Rep. Oamenal
of Misamis Occidental, said HB 5811 will correct the inequities of the past.

He said failure
to pass this bill would give reasons that the government peace panel acted in
bad faith with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). As such, I see more
conflict in Mindanao.”

Rep. Acop, a
former police general, saidand My colleagues, I am from Luzon and I will speak
for and in behalf of our brother and sister Bangsamoro.”

BL-BAR product
of CAB, FAB

Acop believed
that HB 5811 was constitutional because it was a product of Framework Agreement
on the Bangsamoro and Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

He said since
both FAB and CAB were not challenged before the Supreme Court” and that HB 5811
will not be questioned before the highest court of the land.

Apostol,
representing the Visayas bloc, said let us give the Bangsamoro the life other
Filipinos enjoy.”

Sponsorship
speeches of three or more lawmakers are scheduled this afternoon. Among them was TUCP Partylist Rep. Raymond
Mendoza.

After the
privilege speeches, Rodriguez and three other co-sponsors will answer
inquiries, clarification and questions from other lawmakers during the plenary.

North Cotabato
Rep. Jesus Sacdalan said the House leadership may extend another day, Friday,
if debates are not over by Thursday, the last regular session day in the
House. Voting is expected to take place
on June 8, 9 or 10.Majority floor leader Rep. Neptali Gonzales II admitted the House may not pass the bill before Congress adjourns on June 10.Lawyer Mary Ann Arnado of Friends of Peace said peace advocates are expecting the bill to be passed before the 16th Congress adjourns.