Aquino may announce composition of Bangsamoro Transition Commission this week

From the  Philippine News Agency (Feb 11): Aquino may announce composition of Bangsamoro Transition Commission this week

President Benigno Aquino III may announce the composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission, a vital body mandated to draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law as provided in the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.

"Sana within this week matapos ko na. Sinubmit sa akin (draft of the Transition Commission) late last week," the President said on Monday in an interview with the media at the sidelines of the launching of the Transition Commission held at the Bangsamoro Leadership Management Institute (BLMI) here.

Aquino said the specifics of the composition of the proposed Commission were already submitted to him including the personalities nominated by all stakeholders. "We would want to give justice by reading all of the resumes submitted and the CVs (curriculum vitae) to come up with the best group of people that will come up with the organic law," he said.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Teresita Quintos Deles earlier said the composition of the Bangsamoro Transition Commission "shall have gender, ethnic and generational balance. "This is to ensure that voices of all Bangsamoro stakeholders, including women, indigenous peoples, and the youth, will be part of the Transition Commission that will craft the Basic Law," she noted.

Once drafted, Deles said, the Bangsamoro Basic Law will be certified urgent by the President and submitted to Congress for passage. It will then undergo a plebiscite in the envisioned core territory of the Bangsamoro. Upon ratification, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is deemed abolished, according to the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro signed Oct. 15, 2012 in Malacanang by the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Deles said the GPH nominees to the Transition Commission have been processed by the Search Committee. The MILF likewise submitted their list of nominees to the GPH panel on the first day of the 35th Formal Exploratory Talks held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Jan. 21-25, 2013. Last December, President Aquino signed Executive Order 120, which paves the way for the creation of the Transition Commission.

Meanwhile, MILF peace negotiating panek chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said the Framwork Agreement was supported by majority of the people in the ARMM. Murad, however, said there are some who still doubt on the Framework Agreement. "Itong Framework Agreement ay alam naman natin na suportado ng karamihan. So hindi natin maiiwasan na meron ding mga iba na hindi sumasang-ayon but titingnan natin. Baka sakali na maimpluwensyahan na din, ma-realize din nila ‘yung talagang kabutihan nito," he said.

When asked about the statement made earlier by Moro National Liberation Front chair Nur Misuari that he does not support the Framework Agreement, Murad said: "That is his own opinion." "Pero nakikita naman ng lahat kung ano ang maidudulot nitong Framework Agreement," he said.

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