Biazon wants ‘illegal’ provision of Bangsamoro bill removed

From the Sun Star--Manila (Oct 21): Biazon wants ‘illegal’ provision of Bangsamoro bill removed

MUNTINLUPA City Representative Rodolfo Biazon suggested Tuesday to the ad hoc committee on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law to strike down some provisions of the bill that may jeopardize its constitutionality.

Biazon, chairperson of the House committee on national defense and security, wants Article 5 section 1 removed from the Bangsamoro bill, saying it is unconstitutional.

"Article 5 Section 1 of BBL states that the National Government will only be responsible or will possess an exclusive authority on national defense and external security," Biazon told reporters at the weekly forum, Ugnayan sa Batasan.

Biazon said that national defense is only a component of national security, however, there is no definition of external security.

He said the general definition of national security includes national invaders, against terrorists, security against rebellion and security against insurgency.

"And yet, in the proposed law, the national government has no power to address rebellion, terroristic activities insurgency and against foreign invaders," the lawmaker said.

The former chief-of-staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said he will introduce a substitute bill emphasizing that the government is responsible for national security and not just for national defense.

The lawmaker proposed an amendment to delete a provision in the BBL, which defines that the National Government is only responsible for national defense and external security.

"I will remove external security. National security is a primary responsible of national government," said Biazon.

"The issue of constitutionality is very important. We need to be very careful, we need to craft a substitute bill to this administration bill," he added.

Defense Undersecretary Pio Lorenzo Batino assured Biazon that the National Government has the police and military control in Bangsamoro region.

"The Bangsamoro Basic Law is in accordance with the Philippine Constitution and upholds Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity, specifically with the strength to the defense of military establishments. We have duly noted the key provisions in the Bangsamoro Basic Law, specifically Article 5, Section 1 which provides that defense and external security shall be the reserved power of the central government," Batino said.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/local-news/2014/10/21/biazon-wants-illegal-provision-bangsamoro-bill-removed-372254