MILF says no plans yet to step in on BBL legal battle

From the Daily Tribune (Jan 10): MILF says no plans yet to step in on BBL legal battle

For the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), it is still too early to discuss the constitutionality of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) which is currently under congressional scrutiny.

In a statement over its website, the MILF appealed to all not to make hasty statements on  the constitutionality of the BBL that may spark negative reactions.

The MILF stressed the constitutionality of the BBL, agreed upon by the MILF and the government of the Philippines (GRP), falls under the authority of the Supreme Court.

“We therefore appeal to all and sundry, especially leaders, not to make hasty pronouncements that would agitate negative reactions from the people,” it stressed.

“The issue of constitutionality of any provision of the BBL is in the domain of the Supreme Court. We are not yet there,” the MILF pointed out.

Both the Senate and the House of Representatives have noted that some provisions of the BBL could be considered unconstitutional.

Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, chairman of the committee on local government, and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, head of the Congress ad-hoc committee, have been conducting public hearings on the BBL.

Both Marcos and Rodriguez have noted some provisions of the BBL similar to the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MoA-AD) that was junked as unconstitutional by the high tribunal in 2008.

Without naming names, the MILF expressed belief that the legislators, who have issued statements regarding the unconstitutionality of the BBL, did such in good faith.

“We believe that if these legislators ever made these statements of the unconstitutionality of some aspects of the BBL, they were made in good faith,” the MILF said.

“Or, they were quoted out of context by some media reporters, which we believe requires a clarification. (We don’t know if we can go to that extent here),” it added.     
   
The MILF stressed that while the BBL’s fate is still hanging in the balance, the situation remains tense.

“Prudence is a better part of judgment. Even the well-intentioned views or statements can mean another thing to others. The truth is that we are in a very sensitive and delicate situation,” said the MILF.

“All honest stakeholders including MILF members and combatants are waiting with bated  breath on the fate of BBL in Congress.  While we have faith in the collective wisdom of Congress to pass a good legislation, in a tense situation such as we are now in, it is people’s nature to react swiftly — sometimes unreasonably — even to a slight movement,” it added.

Marcos has already referred the constitutional issues of the BBL to the Senate committee on constitutional amendments and revision of codes headed by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Marcos said one of the highly-contentious issues surrounding the BBL is the sub-state provision.

Santiago, a constitution expert, has accepted the request of Marcos and set the hearing on the constitutional issues surrounding the BBL on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2.

Santiago has been outspoken in saying the basis of the BBL, the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, is unconstitutional because it allegedly violates the principle of constitutional supremacy.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/milf-says-no-plans-yet-to-step-in-on-bbl-legal-battle