Bangsamoro law critics adopting anti-people stance — MILF

From the Daily Tribune (Dec 22): Bangsamoro law critics adopting anti-people stance — MILF

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is branding the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) as the “menu” for the country’s peace and development, claiming the proposed law has the “overwhelming” support from the Moros and tagged those who are opposing it as “anti-people.”

In an editorial posted over its website, the MILF also said it is surprised that those harping negative sentiments on BBL are people outside the jurisdiction of the proposed law.

It, however, did not name names.

The MILF stressed the BBL, which is currently undergoing scrutiny by both the Senate and the House of Representatives, is designed to address the decades-long Moro Question that claimed the lives more than 200,000 people.

It blamed the conflict to the country’s status lagging behind other neighboring Southeast Asian countries.

“As clearly stated time and again, the BBL is a menu to address the Moro Problem or Question which has pestered the country for decades and which caused it to lag far behind its Asian neighbors,” the MILF claimed.

“Solving this problem is solving the nation’s problem. The BBL is a menu for peace, development and unity of this country,” it added.

The MILF maintained that the BBL is for the entire Bangsamoro inhabitants – Muslims, Christians and indigenous peoples (IPs), who were given special privileges under the proposed law.

“This is the reason – never mind the spoilers — that whoever criticizes the BBL is adopting an anti-people stance. The BBL is for the entire inhabitants of the Bangsamoro, be they Muslims, IPs or Christians. Being Bangsamoro is only an identity; it does not confer any privileges,” the MILF said.

“If any group who has been given special privileges in the BBL, they are the IPs,” it added.

The MILF even noted the supposed silence of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Chairman Nur Misuari on BBL.

“Clearly the Moros are overwhelmingly behind the proposed law, including those in the island provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan. Even MNLF Chairman Nur Misuari is silent these days on the BBL,” the MILF said.

“We do not expect him to come out openly for the BBL, but just to be mum on the BBL is already a sign of greatness in the offing,” the MILF said of Misuari.

“To date, there is hardly any Moro leader or politician who has not expressed support to the BBL. We are sure everybody will be on board soon,” it further said.

Earlier, however, both panel heads of the Senate – Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., and Congress, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, have noted provisions in the BBL that could be similar to the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD) which was declared as unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2008.

Rodriguez said his panel is seriously considering the concerns raised against some provisions in the BBL that may be declared unconstitutional by the SC, such as allowing other areas outside the Bangsamoro territory to also join the entity upon a petition of at least 10 percent of the constituents;  creation of an internal audit body aside from the Commission on Audit (CoA);  the duplication of the power of the Ombudsman to probe its officials; the  establishment of its own civil service, its own human rights body, and its own poll body that would oversee elections in the sub-state.

Marcos, chairman of the Senate committee on local government which oversees the deliberations of the BBL, seconded the contention aired by House counterparts.

Marcos highlighted the grounds used by the high tribunal in declaring as unconstitutional the MoA-AD which was the agreement signed during the term of President Arroyo that sought to create the Bangsamoro juridical entity saying some of the attributes are also present in the BBL.

The senator also said the Philippine Constitution Association, in a position paper, also cited several constitutional questions.

On top of these, Marcos said, there are some “administrative” concerns also facing legal issues.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/bangsamoro-law-critics-adopting-anti-people-stance-milf