‘Bangsamoro Basic Law ready for signing into law by June’

MANILA, Philippines — The proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be ready for signing into law when Congress adjourns sine die on June 1, Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III said yesterday.

Sotto and Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III were set to meet with President Duterte and members of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) last night to discuss the BBL. 

Sotto said the timetable for the approval of the BBL is among those expected to be taken up. 

Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri, chairman of the Senate sub-committee on local government for the BBL, said the Senate should approve the measure on May 23.  

If both houses approve the proposed BBL before June 1, Sotto said the President would have until July 22 to go over the bill so he could report it out during his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23. 

“Hopefully (it will be signed before the SONA). It would be ideal. It will be a good development even for the peace process,” Sotto said.

While the President could certify the BBL as an urgent measure, Sotto said it would not affect the debates at the Senate. He said deliberations on the measure are expected to be lengthy due to various concerns raised by several senators. 

Sotto said certifying a bill as urgent would remove only the three-day rule before it could be approved on third reading after second reading.

In a letter to Pimentel on Monday, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office Secretary Adelino Sitoy conveyed the President’s directive for him to urge Congress to hasten the passage of the Bangsamoro bill. 

On the same day, Duterte in a speech said he is “racing against time” to pass the BBL. 

“I gave my solemn promise and… I am working hard to meet the deadline,” Duterte assured members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, BTC and government negotiating panel.