Palace to ex-BBL supporters: Think of long-term peace in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Tuesday urged senators who have withdrawn their support from the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) due to the Mamasapano carnage to think of forging lasting peace in Mindanao.

Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said it is important to keep in mind the goal of attaining long-term peace, stability and progress in Mindanao while recognizing the challenges posed by the recent incident that killed more than 40 elite policemen.

"Those who have expressed reservations about supporting the enactment of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law may wish to consider the adverse consequences of not pursuing the peace process, such as a possible return to the old order characterized by ‘warlordism’, lawlessness, misuse of public funds, and the near-total breakdown of governance," Coloma said.

Coloma was reacting to reports that Sens. Alan Cayetano and JV Ejercito have withdrawn their authorship of the BBL following the fatal "misencounter" between elite policemen and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters in Mamamasapano, Maguindanao on Sunday.

The incident killed more than 40 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force who were reportedly tasked to capture suspected terrorist Zulkifli Abd Hir, a Malaysian bomb expert linked with the international group Jemaah Islamiyah.

The police operation, however, turned into an encounter with the MILF fighters.

The MILF and the national government have forged a peace agreement that will give birth to a new political entity in Muslim Mindanao with the BBL as the enabling law.

With Cayetano and Ejercito's withdrawal of support, a majority Senate vote for the BBL is no longer guaranteed since the two are among the 13 senators who co-authored the proposed law.