Palace: PNoy deserves possible nomination for Nobel Peace Prize

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang believes that President Benigno Aquino III deserves to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize due to the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) during his term.

"Yes [the President deserves it], if you ask me, it would be an honor for the Philippines to have President Aquino nominated. It is, in the eyes of the international community, a big milestone for the promotion and propagation of peace," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said at a televised press briefing on Monday.

Lacierda also again denied that the Palace is lobbying for the nomination of Aquino. He added, however, that it is "quite probable" that some groups would nominate the President.

But the Palace official said they do not know these people who may be lobbying for Aquino's nomination.

"It is probable that some others who have felt that there has been no significant peace accord reached since Aceh and that the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro was a step forward in promoting peace," Lacierda said.

Lacierda noted that the signing of the final annex of the Bangsamoro deal had an "overwhelming" positive response from the international community. Also, when the comprehensive agreement was completed, it was  "warmly received."

"We now see a hope for Muslim Mindanao, that finally, there will be an institution that will help solve the peace problem in Mindanao and improve the economic situation," Lacierda said of the Bangsamoro agreement.

The CAB was signed in March, concluding 17 years of negotiations between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Following this achievement, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission signed and submitted to the Palace the final draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law.

If enacted and ratified through a plebiscite in the proposed Bangsamoro core territory, the BBL will effetively deactivate the self-governing ARMM to pave the way for the creation of a new political entity.

Lacierda said the President will submit the BBL to Congress after his State of the Nation Address and certify it as urgent.

He also expressed confidence that the BBL will be enacted into law and that its consititutionality will withstand legal scrutiny.