Warmth support of peace advocates and people of all walks-of-life in their clamor for early enactment of Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) was manifested by hundreds of thousands of participants that joined peace rallies held all over Mindanao on Sunday, May 4 and today, May 5 at the Batasan Complex in Quezon City.
“The rallies were primarily a collective call to the members of the two Chambers of Congress to deliberate and act favorably on the draft BBL so that finally, progress and lasting peace can be attained in the region”, said a representative of the Mindanao Alliance for Peace (MAP).
Professor Raby Angkal, MAP spokesman said that if congress will not pass the BBL as crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) it will be a big loss for the country in terms of political and economic aspects and so frustrating and traumatic for the Bangsamoro people.
“We strongly appeal to the House of Representatives and Senate to immediately deliberate on the draft BBL and pass it as enabling act for Bangsamoro otherwise it’s a great loss for the Philippine government… this is of national interest,” Angkal said.
“It is high time we move together; together, we support the BBL; and together, let us urge Congress not to delay the passage of the BBL,” he said.
Angkal said further, “This is a long awaited dream of hundreds of thousands of people in Mindanao in today’s gathering”. “This symbolizes the unity of the people in Mindanao”, Angkal continued saying
Cotabato City Vice Mayor Hadji Abdullah Andang, in his speech at the Cotabato City Plaza recalled the past history of the town that once became a witnessed to the sufferings of the Moro people during the arrival of the colonizers but were able to defend their freedom through the leadership of Sultan Kudarat—a Moro great and just warrior.
“…Cotabato City though it is not part of ARMM but this time the people decided to join the Bangsamoro Government,” he stressed.
Former and incumbent Moro politicians, traditional and religious leaders in Lanao, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Pagadian, Cotabato City, Jolo and Isabela City who are sympathetic to the GPH-MILF peace process were in attendance in different venues and expressed their full support to the BBL and the upcoming Bangsamoro government.
Mayor Bai Zahara Upahm Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak municipality said that even if she was not invited she attended in the peace gathering saying, “I am a Bangsamoro, therefore, I must attend here,” she said.
“The BBL is not only for the Muslims, it is for the Christians and IPs as well,” one speaker said.
In Jolo, Sulu and Davao City, some leaders and members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) also participated in the peace rally according to MAP secretariat.
In western Mindanao, Zamboanga City officials revoked the permit-to-rally previously granted to rallyists that included delegates from Zamboanga Sibugay to be held at Plaza Pershing on Sunday, May 4.
“This is very frustrating for a civilize government denying people to peacefully assemble and curtailing their freedom of expression,” Hadji Mursid Mascud of MAP said.
MindaNews quoted Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar telling reporters that ‘security risk’ was the reason for the cancellation of the permit.
“As mayor of the city, I am accountable to the people and so my decisions will have to be for the greater interest of the majority. I cannot take the risk of allowing the rally given the situation we have gone through in the September siege. The security of the people is paramount,” she told a press briefing Sunday morning.
MAP reported to luwaran.com that an SMS reached the MAP Media Committee from Zamboanga City’s participant to the rally saying: “…In the name of peace, nobody could stop us from seeking peace and development in Mindanao and the entire region”.
A community leader in Zamboanga Sibugay also opined through luwaran.com that the cancellation of their permit to rally will not in any way affect the GPH-MILF peace agreement but rather would intensify the Moro peoples’ quest for a comprehensive, peaceful and lasting solution to the Mindanao question.
In the MAP press statement stated that they do not want the negotiation to fail.
“We want the conflict that brings untold suffering and miseries to the people of Mindanao be put to stop immediately…failure of the negotiations or even by prolonging it further will open the opportunities for the spoilers of peace to strengthen their ranks”, it added.
The MAP reported that when the participants from Zamboanga peninsula who were not permitted to hold their peaceful rally in Zamboanga City moved to Isabela City, Basilan and joined the rally in downtown area.
MAP spearheaded the mass actions for peace which they called “The Peoples’ Popular Ratification of the Bngsamoro Basic Law” which was positively responded by hundreds of thousands of people.
Prof. Abdulmanan Gayak, MAP chair thanked all people in Mindanao, various sectors and peace groups, IDPs, politicians, the MNLF members, CSOs, NGOs, and who participated in the gathering; supported the call for Congress to pass the basic law; and members of the media who covered the affairs throughout Mindanao.
The MAP secretariat and its media committee released the figures of participants in convergent areas who have registered starting 9:00pm of Sunday. To wit:
Bangolo, Marawi City (20,300); Baloi, Lanao del (25,901); Pagadian City (11,210); Cotabato City Plaza (70,959); Pikit, North Cotabato (38,856); Round Ball, Tacurong City (75,500); Oval Plaza, General Santos City (25,785); Rizal Park, Davao City (5,484); Isabela City, Basilan (8,004); Marina Plaza, Jolo Sulu (5,731); and Bongao Tawi-tawi (2,736).
Angkal told reporters that this figure will still increase in other areas such as Tacurong City and Pikit, North Cotabato. “…because this record is tabulated as of 9:00pm yesterday,” he said.
Meantime, today, the MAP is holding a Press Conference at Bacolod Chicken Inasal, Quezon City Memorial Circle at 11:00am-1:00pm. The MAP through its deputy spokesman Bobby Benito and will be assisted by Imam Baser Marangit of BANGSA, Datuan Magon of the United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD).
Benito said that, “After the presscon, a mass rally will follow in front of Batasan Complex main gate, in Quezon City during the opening session of the Congress.”
“Thousands of Moro Metro Manila residents and peace networks in the National Capital Region are expected to attend in support to the call for the passage of BBL,” he told luwaran.com.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/961-bangsamoro-peace-rally-appeals-for-passage-of-bbl-by-philippine-congress-without-delay
Professor Raby Angkal, MAP spokesman said that if congress will not pass the BBL as crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) it will be a big loss for the country in terms of political and economic aspects and so frustrating and traumatic for the Bangsamoro people.
“We strongly appeal to the House of Representatives and Senate to immediately deliberate on the draft BBL and pass it as enabling act for Bangsamoro otherwise it’s a great loss for the Philippine government… this is of national interest,” Angkal said.
“It is high time we move together; together, we support the BBL; and together, let us urge Congress not to delay the passage of the BBL,” he said.
Angkal said further, “This is a long awaited dream of hundreds of thousands of people in Mindanao in today’s gathering”. “This symbolizes the unity of the people in Mindanao”, Angkal continued saying
Cotabato City Vice Mayor Hadji Abdullah Andang, in his speech at the Cotabato City Plaza recalled the past history of the town that once became a witnessed to the sufferings of the Moro people during the arrival of the colonizers but were able to defend their freedom through the leadership of Sultan Kudarat—a Moro great and just warrior.
“…Cotabato City though it is not part of ARMM but this time the people decided to join the Bangsamoro Government,” he stressed.
Former and incumbent Moro politicians, traditional and religious leaders in Lanao, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Pagadian, Cotabato City, Jolo and Isabela City who are sympathetic to the GPH-MILF peace process were in attendance in different venues and expressed their full support to the BBL and the upcoming Bangsamoro government.
Mayor Bai Zahara Upahm Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak municipality said that even if she was not invited she attended in the peace gathering saying, “I am a Bangsamoro, therefore, I must attend here,” she said.
“The BBL is not only for the Muslims, it is for the Christians and IPs as well,” one speaker said.
In Jolo, Sulu and Davao City, some leaders and members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) also participated in the peace rally according to MAP secretariat.
In western Mindanao, Zamboanga City officials revoked the permit-to-rally previously granted to rallyists that included delegates from Zamboanga Sibugay to be held at Plaza Pershing on Sunday, May 4.
“This is very frustrating for a civilize government denying people to peacefully assemble and curtailing their freedom of expression,” Hadji Mursid Mascud of MAP said.
MindaNews quoted Zamboanga City Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar telling reporters that ‘security risk’ was the reason for the cancellation of the permit.
“As mayor of the city, I am accountable to the people and so my decisions will have to be for the greater interest of the majority. I cannot take the risk of allowing the rally given the situation we have gone through in the September siege. The security of the people is paramount,” she told a press briefing Sunday morning.
MAP reported to luwaran.com that an SMS reached the MAP Media Committee from Zamboanga City’s participant to the rally saying: “…In the name of peace, nobody could stop us from seeking peace and development in Mindanao and the entire region”.
A community leader in Zamboanga Sibugay also opined through luwaran.com that the cancellation of their permit to rally will not in any way affect the GPH-MILF peace agreement but rather would intensify the Moro peoples’ quest for a comprehensive, peaceful and lasting solution to the Mindanao question.
In the MAP press statement stated that they do not want the negotiation to fail.
“We want the conflict that brings untold suffering and miseries to the people of Mindanao be put to stop immediately…failure of the negotiations or even by prolonging it further will open the opportunities for the spoilers of peace to strengthen their ranks”, it added.
The MAP reported that when the participants from Zamboanga peninsula who were not permitted to hold their peaceful rally in Zamboanga City moved to Isabela City, Basilan and joined the rally in downtown area.
MAP spearheaded the mass actions for peace which they called “The Peoples’ Popular Ratification of the Bngsamoro Basic Law” which was positively responded by hundreds of thousands of people.
Prof. Abdulmanan Gayak, MAP chair thanked all people in Mindanao, various sectors and peace groups, IDPs, politicians, the MNLF members, CSOs, NGOs, and who participated in the gathering; supported the call for Congress to pass the basic law; and members of the media who covered the affairs throughout Mindanao.
The MAP secretariat and its media committee released the figures of participants in convergent areas who have registered starting 9:00pm of Sunday. To wit:
Bangolo, Marawi City (20,300); Baloi, Lanao del (25,901); Pagadian City (11,210); Cotabato City Plaza (70,959); Pikit, North Cotabato (38,856); Round Ball, Tacurong City (75,500); Oval Plaza, General Santos City (25,785); Rizal Park, Davao City (5,484); Isabela City, Basilan (8,004); Marina Plaza, Jolo Sulu (5,731); and Bongao Tawi-tawi (2,736).
Angkal told reporters that this figure will still increase in other areas such as Tacurong City and Pikit, North Cotabato. “…because this record is tabulated as of 9:00pm yesterday,” he said.
Meantime, today, the MAP is holding a Press Conference at Bacolod Chicken Inasal, Quezon City Memorial Circle at 11:00am-1:00pm. The MAP through its deputy spokesman Bobby Benito and will be assisted by Imam Baser Marangit of BANGSA, Datuan Magon of the United Youth for Peace and Development (UNYPAD).
Benito said that, “After the presscon, a mass rally will follow in front of Batasan Complex main gate, in Quezon City during the opening session of the Congress.”
“Thousands of Moro Metro Manila residents and peace networks in the National Capital Region are expected to attend in support to the call for the passage of BBL,” he told luwaran.com.
http://www.luwaran.com/index.php/welcome/item/961-bangsamoro-peace-rally-appeals-for-passage-of-bbl-by-philippine-congress-without-delay
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