Aquino still reviewing BBL draft

From the Manila Bulletin (Aug 28): Aquino still reviewing BBL draft

President Benigno S. Aquino III remains optimistic that the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) will be submitted very soon to Congress, as he said that the BBL draft is still under thorough review.

“Talagang masusing inaaral bawat isang section at bahagi nitong Bangsamoro Basic Law dahil hinahabol nga natin isang panukalang batas na maibibigay sa ating mga kapatid sa Bangsamoro iyong kanilang inaasam-asam at binibigyan din naman ng kapanatagan ng loob iyong mga kapit-bahay nila –sa maapektuhan nitong batas na ito [We are really reviewing very thoroughly each section of the Bangsamoro Basic Law because we really want to have a law that would provide our Bangsamoro brothers and sisters what they have been longing for, that would also provide relief for those who would be affected by this law],” Aquino said in a radio interview aired over Bombo Radyo Thursday.

The President said he is reviewing the draft with heavy scrutiny as the “devil is in the details.”

“Walang pinagtatalunan doon sa mga batayang prinsipyo. At ngayon iyong paglilipat ‘nung batayang prinsipyong iyon doon sa mga specifications sa batas, iyon medyo nagkaroon ng konting mas matinding negosasyon [There are no arguments on the principles but on putting those principles into law, that is where negotiations are intense],” he said.

Aquino however said there have been major improvements on the negotiations between the two panels from last week.

“Masasabi ko sa inyo ang laki ng inabante nila. Mukhang maisusulong na natin o maihahain na sa Kongreso… sana sa lalong madaling panahon iyong isang panukalang batas na sinasangayunan ng lahat ng stakeholders [I can say they have moved forward and I think we can submit to Congress hopefully in the soonest possible time a bill that has been agreed upon by all the stakeholders],” he said.

Aquino said his administration is hoping for a plebiscite by the end of the year.
“Depende nga iyon sa talakayan ng Kongreso doon sa batas dahil ang hinahabol natin magkaroon ng one year and a half man lang na maipakita ‘nung transitional authority kung bakit mas angkop iyong sistemang iminumungkahi nila sa pagpapatakbo ng Bangsamoro [That would depend on the debates in Congress because we are after the transitional authority within one and a half years to see if this system would be effective for the Bangsamoro],” he said.

The BBL draft was submitted by the two panels to President Aquino last August 20.
The government and the MILF signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in Malacanang on March 27, 2014.

The Aquino administration hopes to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law within President Aquino’s term in a bid to bring about a transition to the Bangsamoro political entity.

http://www.mb.com.ph/aquino-still-reviewing-bbl-draft/