Senate sets new timeline for BBL approval

MANILA, Philippines - The Senate has set a new timeline for the approval of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) after Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who chairs the committee on local governments, asked for more time to address the many controversial provisions in the measure.

Senate President Franklin Drilon said senators have agreed to wait until Monday next week for the committee report on the BBL and Marcos’ substitute bill.

“We have agreed that the BBL report will be filed on Aug. 10, sponsored on Aug. 11, and to give the senators time to study carefully all the proposals, the interpellation will start on Aug. 17. That’s the schedule of the BBL,” Drilon said.

Drilon announced the development after a brief caucus yesterday, adding that the Senate will not set any deadline on the interpellation “so everybody will be given a chance to review the report that will be submitted.”

Marcos sought an extension because many senators submitted new position papers, which he said needed to be incorporated in his draft committee report. 

Marcos pointed out the need to thresh out constitutional issues in the bill that pertain to economic provisions, the tax policy, monetary policy, power sharing and the sharing in the national office. 

“We also have to look into the experiences of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the experience of the national government and see how that can possibly apply to BBL,” he said.

In a statement, the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Sorsogon formally expressed its support for the BBL as it called on Congress to pass the proposed measure.

PPOC secretariat Arnaldo Escober Jr. said the council’s members unanimously adopted Resolution No. 2 on May 26, recognizing the significance of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). – With Jose Rodel Clapano