Chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer brief Cebu media on the BBL law together with MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal during a round table discussion with at Bayfront Hotel in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Misconceptions about the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) continue to burden its passage in Congress, its chief proponents said yesterday.
“There’s a fear and distrust of the MILF. But how many times do we have to stress that we are not proposing a separate substate?” chief government negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer said.
She and MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal were in Cebu City yesterday for a media forum on the BBL held at the Bayfront Hotel.
Iqbal and Ferrer called on legislators not to fear the BBL and to allow the work of 17 years of government negotiations through four presidents to give hope for lasting peace in Mindanao.
The media roundtable was convened by Mindanews and the Philippine Information Agency with some private entities.
Under supervision
The BBL seeks to create a political entity that will replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to implement a government peace deal with the MILF to create a more politically autonomous Bangsamoro region.
Ferrer said there were “ridiculous claims“ circulating about the proposed law, which remains stuck in Congress.
One fallacy is that “BBL was written by Malaysia” to promote its interest. Another is that the law seeks to create a separate police force, election body and audit agency or that Shariah law will be enforced on non-Muslims.
If enacted into law, Ferrer said the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region will still be under the general supervision of the president, the Commission on Audit, Commission on Elections, and the Philippine National Police.
Ferrer showed samples of anti-BBL memes being circulated on social media which were baseless and misleading.
A lot of mistrust is focused on the MILF.
“Why do we need to negotiate with MILF, which is today the biggest armed opposition? It’s because they remain committed to peaceful means. If we do not do this now, we miss a big opportunity,” she said. Before the Mamasapano tragedy, there were no armed clashes with the MILF for three years.
Iqbar said the passage of the BBL should be the concern of every Filipino who wants lasting peace in Mindanao.
“The passage of the BBL is a national interest. When there is peace, everybody reaps the fruit. Similarly, when war breaks out, everybody feels the heat,” he said.
Iqbal said the BBL is the only way to end more than 42 years of armed conflicts in Mindanao, which, if addressed, will benefit the whole country.
Lobbying by the government and the MILF peace panels for the passage of the BBL hit rock bottom following the fatal clash of 44 Special Action Force (SAF) troopers and 18 MILF combatants in Mamasapano town, Maguindanao last January.
Despite the odds, Iqbal said they are hoping the proposed BBL will be passed by Congress before the year ends.
Trivial
Among the obstacles is the frequent lack of quorum in the Lower House.
There is also the substitute bill authored by Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. which revised “80 percent” of the original BBL.
“We’ve been monitoring the progress of the BBL or the lack of it. To our dismay, we have seen more trivial pieces of legislation given preferential attention such as renaming of streets, schools, and the like,” he said.
Iqbal said BBL should be given priority since among the many programs of the administration, it is the only legacy President Benigno Aquino III will leave behind.
“The only fitting and lasting legacy President Aquino can give to our people especially those in Mindanao is lasting peace through the passage of the BBL,” he added.
Asked about the possibility of the BBL being enacted into law under Aquino’s term, Iqbal said the MILF will never give up.
“Never say die. The MILF will continue to pursue the path of peace no matter what will happen. There is no other option, only peace in Mindanao,” he told the local media.
For her part, Ferrer said “self governance” was at the heart of the BBL but that deep bias against the Moros holds back progress of theproposed law.
“If Cebu would ask for autonomy, it’s all right. But if Moros ask for more autonomy, why do many say it is illegitimate?” she said.