BBL won’t be passed without changes: Speaker

Speaking to reporters, Belmonte acknowledged calls from Malacanang not to water down or alter the draft BBL submitted for congressional action. The BBL is meant to institutionalize the commitments of the government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front under the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro inked last year.

“Itong BBL pending before us, for sure it cannot be passed as is in the face of constitutional issues. As much as possible, we would like to accommodate what was agreed upon by our panel and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,” he said.

Belmonte also took note of the appeals by lawmakers for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to give up their firearms and surrender members involved in the Mamasapano operation as a condition to the continuation of the peace process.

At least 44 Special Action Force commandos, 18 Moro fighters and 5 civilians were killed in the Mamasapano carnage last January 25.

“They keep saying that. Still our obligation is to the Constitution. We have to abide by it lalo na kami we’re public officials. We will do that and hope they, because aside from being Bangsamoro they are first Filipinos, the Constitution also holds sway over them. Kaya yun, we try to hew as much as possible to what was agreed upon but definitely not at cost of violating Constitution,” the Speaker said.

Belmonte said lawmakers cannot be forced into passing the bill without any alteration. He said a lot of the special ad hoc committee members had a chance to see for themselves how autonomous regions in Spain work.

“Nakita nila yan. They are not dummies that can be led around. Meron rin silang some kind of a background on what things you have to consider, what things you cannot consider. Di rin ako happy doon if (government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel) Ferrer says something like that,” he said.

The Speaker said he is hoping that the MILF will back the government in running after the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, a breakaway MILF faction. There are also reports of another breakaway group, the Justice Islamic Movement (JIM), operating in Mindanao.

He also assured colleagues who are wary of their districts being deprived of funds should the BBL give Bangsamoro an annual block grant that some estimate could run up to P75 billion a year.

“The rest of the country are assured by our national budget and if there is some amount going to the BBL like in partition of the proceeds of the the natural resources there, talagang ganun. It is really like that. On the other hand naman, even if you have a province with nothing, still they’re getting something from national budget. They can rely on it,” he said.

Source: ANC