Thousands join peace rally in Basilan in support of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law

From the Philippine News Agency (May 4): Thousands join peace rally in Basilan in support of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law

Some 7,000 people have gathered here Sunday in a peace rally urging Congress to approve the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law “without undue delay.”

The participants--men and women--aboard jeepneys, trucks and motorcycles arrived in groups coming from this province’ 11 municipalities and two cities.

The gymnasium of the Basilan State College, where the peace rally was held, was filled with people who started arriving as early as 8 a.m.

The peace rally was organized by the Mindanao Alliance for Peace (MAP) and its allied Civil Society Organizations as well as the academe.

MAP Provincial Coordinator Hamdie Tanjil said the main purpose of the peace rally is to send across their strong appeal to Congress for the immediate approval of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law.

“For the sake of peace and progress, please approve and pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) immediately. Our Honorable Representatives and Senators please do not deprive the Bangsamoro and the Filipino people of the promises of a peaceful and prosperous co-existence between and among all the constituents of the proposed Bangsamoro New Political Entity by the BBL,” Tanjil said.

“We believe that this (BBL) could be the solution for a sustainable peace in Mindanao,” Bangsamoro Indigenous Peoples Caucus Chairman Ahmad Al-Amin said in a separate interview.

Hazar Muarip Ahmad, president of the Barangay Women Groups of this province, said they are already “sick and tired of war.”

Ahmad said when the women and children are the very first ones to be affected once war erupts in a particular area.

She said war affects the quality of education of the children.

“Sa lahat ng pagkakataon pag may giyera, kami ang unang-una apektado. Kapag apektado ang isang nanay, pati anak apektado,” she said.

The peace rally was simultaneously held in Mindanao areas like the provinces of Lanao del Norte, North Cotabato, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi and in the cities of Pagadian, Cotabato, Davao, General Santos, Marawi and Tacurong.

Meanwhile, Zamboanga City information officer Sheila Covarrubias said in a text message that “the supposed rally of the Mindanao Alliance for Peace (MAP) at Plaza Pershing from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. today was cancelled by the city government based on the recommendation of the police and military authorities and for the interest of the majority of Zamboangueños.”

“The deployment of police and military forces in strategic areas downtown and the outlying barangays is part of the pre-emptive security measures to safeguard the city and people,” Covarrubias explained after it was noted that troops were deployed in different areas of Zamboanga City.

A team of civil disturbance management (CDM) policemen was also deployed at City Hall.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=640417