Groups call for calm amid delays in Bangsamoro law submission

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - Religious leaders and civil society groups called for sobriety and calmness amid concerns over the delay of the submission of the Bangsamoro Basic Law  (BBL) to Congress.

Negotiators of the Philippine government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are holding a 10-day marathon meeting in Davao City in finalizing the drafting of the proposed bill for submission to Congress.

Alih Ayub, regional chair of the National Ulama Council of the Philippines (NUCP), made the appeal and urged the people to support the peace endeavor of both panels to complete their task to ensure the just and acceptable agreement. 

There were reports on the ground that some sectors, especially supporters of the MILF were getting impatient after GPH and MILF peace panels fell short of time in finalizing the review of the BBL in time for the presentation to President Benigno Aquino for his State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Senen Bacani, GPH deputy negotiator, said earlier that they will not be able to complete the review of the BBL before the SONA citing there were significant yet reconcilable differences in the BBL. 

The BBL, which translates the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) into a legal language, is a key document that will legalize the creation of the Bangsamoro region in Mindanao upon its passage in Congress. The CAB is the result of the 17 years of negotiations of the government and the MILF. It was signed last March 27.

“NUCP calls for sobriety and enjoins the people to pray and support the peace process as both panels exert efforts in a problem solving attitude in tackling contentious issues in the BBL for submission to Congress the soonest,” Ayub said. 

A similar appeal was issued by the Mindanao Peace Weaver (MPW), the largest network of peace advocates in Mindanao, for supporters of the peace negotiation to stay calm and keep holding on to their aspirations.