Senate leaders ask Duterte to certify BBL as urgent

MANILA, Philippines — The leadership of the Senate have asked President Rodrigo Duterte to certify as urgent the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law to expedite the passage of the measure which seeks to achieve lasting peace in Mindanao.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri made the request in a letter to the chief executive dated Monday.

“We aim to pass the said measure on third reading before the sine die adjournment of the Senate on 2 June 2018. Thus, we are hoping for your usual support as we work for the prompt passage of this law,” the two senators wrote.

Senate Bill 1717, which seeks to establish the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, tops the list of the upper chamber’s priority measures.

Former Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III had also requested Duterte to certify the BBL bill as urgent.

Malacañang on Tuesday said Duterte is set to certify the measure urgent “anytime soon.”

“The president promised to certify it. I cannot absolutely guarantee that the version of the House will be certified because I haven’t seen the text. But if it is in conformity with what was agreed upon, then there should be no problem. The president should certify it,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press briefing.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Monday also expressed the lower chamber’s willingness to certify House Bill 6475 as urgent.