UP prof says BOL a political experiment like ARMM

MANILA, Philippines — The Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) is just another political experiment like the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), an expert on Islamic studies said on Friday.

In an interview with The Chiefs on Cignal TV’s One News, University of the Philippines professor Julkipli Wadi said he was basing his pronouncement and pessimism on a statement issued earlier by the Office of the Solicitor General that the BOL is just an “ordinary statute.”

Wadi said President Duterte had laid down available choices and proposed changing the form of government from presidential to federal.

“This is in line with available choices, which were actually laid down by President Duterte, particularly his proposal for federalism. I think that resonates with many proponents of a progressive struggle of the Moros,” Wadi said, wondering if the BARMM or the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – the newly envisioned organic autonomous region – would actually work better than the ARMM.

He said the proposed federalism is supposedly better than the BOL.

“The problem is as the saying goes, a bird on hand is worth two in the bush. In other words, why opt for something that is yet to be crafted when in fact there are around 30 percent Filipinos who supported federalism when you have already the BOL,” Wadi asked.

He said that why should the government engage in another political experiment when a major “paradigmship” – federalism – is being offered by Duterte.

Wadi said that under federalism, the whole political system is well-structured and there will be a constitution for its so-called federal states.

“Therefore, Congress could not just amend a federal constitution. There is some element of permanency in federalism rather than the BOL,” he said.

The UP professor said the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) should have specific policy to prevent the remaining radical groups from taking over the “void” that would be left by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as the latter joins the government.

Wadi said that  radical groups such as the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), Maute group and Abu Sayyaf still might continue advancing the struggle for Moro rights and self-determination.

“Our concern is that with the mainstreaming of the MILF, the normalization, mobilization, laying down of firearms, eventually there will be a void left in the traditional domain of the MILF. Who will fill that void, given there are existing radical groups in the area?” Wadi said.

He said a recurrence of a new group in the same cycle that the people have seen in the past is possible.

“I think the BTA should take it into account how to convince the remaining hardliners who were inspired by the ideology of Salamat and Misuari,” Wadi said, referring to the founding leaders of the MILF and Moro National Liberation Front — Hashim Salamat and Nur Misuari, respectively.

He said the remaining hardliners might just turn the table on Salamat and Misuari and say: “you are the ones who planted this vision among us and now you are saying we have to abandon everything.” 

“It was the same question when the BIFF, the Abu Sayyaf were formed. There has to be an effective comprehensive policy that the MILF, through the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, should do so the void will not fall into the hands of the hardliners,” Wadi said.