FILE PHOTO: President Benigno S. Aquino lll witnesses Bangsamoro Transition Commission Chairman Mohagher Iqb hand over of the draft Bangsamoro Basic Law to Senate President Franklin Drilon during the turnover ceremony at Rizal Hall in Malacañan Palace, Wednesday (September 10).The Bangsamoro Basic Law tops the list of priority measures endorsed by the Aquino administration. Witnessing are Secretary Teresita Quintos-Deles, Speaker of the House Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., and Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. (Photo by Gil Nartea/Malacañang Photo Bureau)
MANILA, Philippines — ‘But I think our BBL draft is the best or is the most practicable solution to finding peace and — finding lasting peace and development in Mindanao,” Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said.
Malacañang sees no reason to have a substitute for the original version of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.
This is the reaction of Malacañang to the statement of chairman of the Committee on Local Government Senator Bongbong Marcos on Wednesday, who said his committee will prepare a substitute bill that will replace the palace’s version.
According to Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda, the version of the BBL they submitted to Kamara has surpassed exhaustive review.
“When the Bangsamoro Basic Law was drafted it was drafted having in mind the previous negotiations, previous agreements, also the fab and the cab, all these were all inputed into the Bangsamoro Basic Law, so I don’t see how substituting the bill would be better than what we have done right now.”
Malacañang said the senators need not worry on some provisions of the BBL, such as the issue of the Bangsamoro government territory to replace ARMM.
“Both parties have agreed that there will be just one state, there are powers that are seeded, and there are powers clearly within the national government, so it still one country, one state.”
Despite this, Malacañang respects the process of the senate in passing the proposed law.
Malacañang believes the lawmakers are considering the Aquino administration’s objective of having true peace and development in Mindanao.
Malacañang is continuously hoping that the congress will pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law before the last state of the nation address of President Aquino this July. (NEL MARIBOJOC / UNTV News)