House sets voting on BBL next week

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives has set for next week the voting on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), which seeks to create a new autonomous region in Mindanao.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, chairman of the 75-member ad hoc committee on the BBL, said the chamber has entered the period of amendments on the measure.

On Tuesday, the plenary heard the turno en contra where lawmakers from the minority and the majority took turns summarizing their points for or against the BBL.

“We have set the voting on Wednesday. As long as we have a quorum, the voting will push through,” Rodriguez said in a telephone interview yesterday.

The chamber has been beset with lack of attendance as lawmakers are now preparing for the campaign period. Last night, the session was adjourned as only 144 lawmakers were present.

Rodriguez said the date was set so there would be time to transmit the BBL to the Senate. It was agreed upon in a meeting with Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., other House leaders and members of the ad hoc panel.

Sources said the meeting, which lasted until almost midnight Tuesday, was on ensuring quorum or more than half of the 290-member chamber to make sure the voting would not be questioned.

After the turno en contra, Rodriguez will present his committee amendments on the floor and begin receiving individual amendments, where the one proposing it will have five minutes to present his or her amendments.

Rodriguez may accept or reject the proposed amendments. If the proposal is rejected, the proponent may appeal it before the presiding officer and the matter will be put to a vote.

He said if President Aquino certifies the BBL as urgent, the House could immediately proceed to vote on it on third and final reading in the same session.

He said Mohaguer Iqbal, who is both Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator and chairman of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission that drafted the BBL, wanted to restore 28 of 40 deleted provisions.

“There will be no more expansion of the Bangsamoro region because under the Constitution, only Congress can expand,” he said.

Also removed were the provisions that would allow the Bangsamoro government to put up its own military and police commands as well as creating its own ombudsman and audit bodies.

“The power to investigate will always be with the (Office of the) Ombudsman,” he said.

MILF not giving up on BBL

Meanwhile, the MILF vowed not to give up on the measure, which it believes would help bring about peace and prosperity in the country. In an editorial posted on its website Luwaran, the MILF noted that the fate of the proposed BBL is now in Congress’ hands and it would be up to lawmakers to decide if they would seize the opportunity to achieve peace.

“For us in the MILF, it is never finished. We will persevere until our just agreements are implemented because that is what honorable and principled people do – they keep their word,” it added.– With Alexis Romero